


Oroboros

by Sailor Bluestar (sailorbluestar)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Anakin fails at diplomacy, Anakin is appalled, Anakin is very screwed, Anakin lacks subtlety, Angst, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I am going to stop adding characters that will probably only pop in for a chapter, Mild Language, Minor Character Death, Obi-Wan Needs a Hug, Obi-Wan is a bookworm, Obi-Wan is a brat, Protective Anakin, Qui-Gon's a jerk, Qui-Gon's very stubborn, Recurring characters however...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-03
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-07-29 03:23:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 39,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7668256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailorbluestar/pseuds/Sailor%20Bluestar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anakin gets sent back in time and manages to muck things up Skywalker-style. Obi-Wan, naturally, has to find a way to follow and fix things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Anakin, don't touch anything!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ialreadyreadthatfanfic at tumblr](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=ialreadyreadthatfanfic+at+tumblr), [flamethrower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamethrower/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Waking Dream](https://archiveofourown.org/works/238162) by [flamethrower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamethrower/pseuds/flamethrower). 



> Thank you tumblr's ialreadyreadthatfanfic for letting me write out your fic idea. I shall endeavor to do it justice. If any of the chapters contain ideas from other tumblr users that reblogged with ideas of their own, they will be duly credited in the chapter notes. Link to the idea (ialreadyreadthatfanfic . tumblr . com / post / 144408810542), just remove the spaces.
> 
> I've been graciously allowed to use a specific timey-whimey Force skill from the fantastic epic known as **Re-Entry by flamethrower**. You should all read it. It's a time travel fic that is waaaaay better than mine. I've made the inspired by link to the first story to that epic. Read it and all the other works in that collection. Then you should continue on to Re-Entry: Journey of the Whills. Fair warning: be prepared to be sucked into it and realize that by the time you're done, days would have gone by and you should probably sleep. Or read it all over again. :)
> 
> I think, for the purposes of this fic, I will exclude Ahsoka from it. There'll be enough disasters to go around without adding her to the mix.
> 
> *consults spreadsheet of timeline and ages* Okay, let's begin.

[Year 13 after the Great ReSynchronization (Year 978 after the Ruusan Reformation), several weeks after Anakin Skywalker was knighted and Asoka Tano has yet to be assigned a master]

The newly knighted Anakin Skywalker accompanied his former master into a foreboding temple. They were sent there by the Council to secure it. There were rumors of powerful artifacts within its depths and if it was true, they couldn't afford letting the Separatists get to them first. The 212th Attack Battalion and 501st Legion accompanied them. The majority of them were outside, securing the surrounding areas. Commander CC-2224, nicknamed Cody, and Captain CT-7567, nicknamed Rex, followed their Jedi into the temple with a couple squads at the ready. Obi-Wan and Anakin each ignited their lightsabers to give them light to see in the dark as they wandered the empty corridors. Then they had come upon a set of stairs.

"What do you think Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked. "Up or down?"

Anakin thought for a second, trying to listen to what the Force was trying to tell him, and replied, "Down Master."

Obi-Wan nodded and remarked, "I'll go up then. If you see something that catches your fancy, try not to touch it, or blow it up."

Anakin grimaced, "I don't always do that Master. You don't have to keep telling me this. I'm a knight now."

"And you think becoming a knight means that you can't listen to sage advice?" Obi-Wan asked offhandedly. "Mind you, you never seemed to listen before. Perhaps I was expecting too much."

"Master," Anakin sighed affectionately. "I do listen. I just feel that somethings, there are better options to be employed for certain situations."

Obi-Wan smirked at Anakin, nudged him with his shoulder gently and started up the stairs with Cody and a squad following after him. Anakin shook his head and started down the stairs, Rex and another squad following him.

* * *

Anakin swept through two floors before something caught his eye on the third. It was small enough to hold in the palm of one's hand, oval-shaped and inky black. However, within that darkness were specks of light. As it was, there was nothing special about it, however, there seemed to be something that pulled Anakin towards it. On occasion, the specks of light seemed to blink at him.

"Sir?" Rex inquired. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Rex," Anakin replied. "I think we might have found our first artifact."

"Pardon me for saying this sir, but it looks like a rock," Rex remarked.

"What better way to hide artifacts," Anakin mused, reaching out.

"Sir, the General specifically requested that you not touch or blow anything up," Rex reminded.

"It's harmless Rex," Anakin reassured. "Nothing bad's going to happen if I pick it up."

Rex looked at him doubtfully and readied his blaster, just in case. Anakin picked up the artifact. He turned to Rex to proclaim that it was safe when he felt a tight pull from his navel and everything went dark.

"Sir!" Rex shouted in distress, watching helplessly as Anakin faded, the artifact dropping harmlessly to the floor. The other clone troopers gathered around their leader, confused. Rex gritted his teeth. "Someone better go find General Kenobi and get him here. Best buddy up and touch nothing else."

"Yes sir," two clone troopers affirmed before departing.

* * *

Anakin was jolted awake when he landed hard on something seemingly harder. He lay there, winded, staring up a familiar ceiling. Around him he could hear faint murmurs of concern. He looked around and found Jedi sitting in seats surrounding him, staring at him. He stared back, confused. How did he get from that temple to the Council chamber inside the Jedi Temple on Coruscant?

"Are you alright?" a voice asked.

Anakin turned his head. The person talking to him resembled Master Adi Gallia, but she seemed younger somehow, perhaps a younger sibling he never knew about.

"Do you need a healer?" she asked, approaching him. "Can you stand?"

Anakin shifted and sat up gingerly. "No, at least, I don't think I need a healer. As for standing, maybe?"

She held out her hands to help him up. He grasped them and together they managed to get him up, even if he wobbled worryingly. She steadied him and asked, "May I ask your name young knight? I am Master Adi Gallia."

"Master Gallia?" Anakin asked, shocked. _'She's younger than I remembered.'_

"Yes, that's my name," Adi said, smiling. "And yours?"

"Anakin Skywalker," Anakin replied. _'What's going on? Something seems...off.'_

"Know I do, all younglings in the temple," another voice said. "Your name, recognize it, I do not. From another temple perhaps, hmmmm?"

Anakin slowly turned, he would recognize that voice and syntax anywhere, "Master Yoda, I was trained at this temple, by Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"There is no knight or master by that name," another voice pointed out. "The only one holding that name is an initiate."

Anakin's breath froze in his chest. _'What?'_ He couldn't believe his ears, what the younger-looking Mace Windu was telling him. _'Master Obi-Wan's an initiate here? Where in the Force am I?'_

"Perhaps a more appropriate question should be, how did you materialize out of thin air into this chamber young one," another voice inquired.

Anakin swallowed and asked, "What year is it?"

"Year 956, after the Ruusan Reformation," Mace replied.

 _'Fuck,'_ Anakin thought to himself.

 

To be continued...


	2. Answers or more questions?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin happens upon young Obi-Wan and discovers a side to his future master that he never realized existed.

"My question still stands young one," the voice from before persisted.

"Oh please Yarael, give the Knight a chance to think, obviously what we revealed to him was shocking," Adi chidded.

Anakin opened and closed his mouth a couple times before he answered, "I was sent on a mission from the Council with my former master to secure an abandoned temple. There were supposedly artifacts inside that we couldn't let fall into the wrong hands. I believe I found one of them."

"Hmmmm," Yoda pondered. "Exposed to a strange artifact, you have been, yes?"

"Yes Master Yoda. Everything went dark before I awoke here, before all of you," Anakin replied.

"And you claim that Initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi was your master?" Adi asked.

"Yes Master," Anakin replied. "As long as he is who I think he is."

Mace fiddled with a control panel on the arm of his chair and displayed a holographic projection of a youngling with fierce eyes. "I realize he would be younger than what you'd expect, but can you see anything of your master in this boy?"

Anakin looked at the image carefully. He noted the little cleft in the boy's chin and the fiery red hair, but what cinched it for him was the boy's eyes. Even at this young age, there was a fierce stubbornness that Anakin recognized. "Yes Masters, this will be my master one day."

"Hmmm," Yoda hummed to himself. "Unfortunate, this is."

That caught Anakin's attention. "What do you mean Master Yoda?"

"Nearly 13, young Kenobi is," Yoda explained. "No master or knight has shown interest, there have been. No one to train Obi-Wan, there is. To the Corps, he will go."

"No," Anakin breathed in horror. "No, you cannot let that happen. He **_must_** be trained! He _will_ become a great Jedi!"

"The rules are absolute," Mace said firmly. "If there is no one to train him down the path you claim he took, then there are other paths that he may take."

"Is there no one who will train him?" Anakin demanded. "I know Master Qui-Gon Jinn was his master. Where is he?"

"Also unfortunate, this is," Yoda rebuked. "No more apprentices, Master Jinn has proclaimed. Unwilling to consider possibilities, he has."

"And yet, somehow, Master Obi-Wan became a Jedi Knight to take _me_ as an apprentice, and I can tell you that Master Obi-Wan was _Master Jinn_ 's apprentice because I was _there_." Anakin insisted.

"You cannot force a pairing young knight," Adi said gently. "If it was meant to be, it will happen on its own time, at its own pace. Patience."

Anakin gritted his teeth in frustration. _'I **have** to get Master Qui-Gon to take Master Obi-Wan as his apprentice before he turns 13. I will find a way, Council or no Council.'_

The Council members shared a look.

"Since it seems that there is no way to return you to whence you came, we will arrange for your stay here," Mace informed him, typing in a few commands on his control panel. "As to your knowledge of what will be, the Council requests that you keep such knowledge to yourself. Just because you are aware of how things end up, doesn't always mean that they will always end up on that path. You could do more harm than good."

Anakin bowed, keeping his face as blank as he could, "Yes Masters."

"Go to the quartermaster," Mace instructed. "They'll have everything you'll need prepared."

Anakin bowed again and left. Yoda watched him leave with a thoughtful look on his face.

* * *

Anakin stomped out of the Council chambers. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself. Perhaps a trip to the meditation gardens before seeing the quartermaster would be a better plan. As he walked past the door leading to the Room of a Thousand Fountains, he heard a young female voice call out.

"Obi! Get down from there, you'll fall!" she cried.

"I'll be fine Bant," another young voice replied. "You should come up here, the view's great!"

Anakin skidded to a halt and decided to pop his head through the door to track down those voices. He found them. The girl, standing on the grass at the base of a large tree. The boy was up in the tree, amongst its lower branches, leaning down to talk to his friend.

_'Obi-Wan, that's Master Obi-Wan,'_ Anakin thought to himself. _'Then that must be Knight Eerin, one of master's friends.'_

He saw a couple other younglings, a Dressellian and a human boy, approach the base of the tree to look up at Obi-Wan.

"Obi-Wan, what are you doing up there?" the human boy asked. "You know we're not allowed to climb trees without supervision."

"I'm not that high up Garen," Obi-Wan protested. "You should come up here with me, it's gorgeous up here."

"You should enjoy the view while you can Oafy-Wan," a voice sneered. "You'll be sent away soon enough. No one wants Oafy-Wan."

From where Anakin was standing, he had missed the other boy's approach along with his entourage. He maneuvered himself away from the doorway so that he could get a better view.

"Stop calling me that Bruck," Obi-Wan shouted down at the white haired boy. "And it's not like anyone's picked you either!"

"Boys, please stop fighting," Bant said, stepping forward, trying to calm them both down.

"Che," Bruck scoffed, pushing Bant roughly aside to the ground. "What would a low-life like you know? You should know your place peasant."

"Hey!" Obi-Wan shouted, dropping down from his perch. "You can't say that to her. Apologize for what you said and for pushing her."

"How quaint, the big bad hero Oafy-Wan, here to save the day," Bruck jeered, the two boys who accompanied him snickered. "The galaxy doesn't care about nobodies like you. They only care about the important people, like me."

Obi-Wan scowled fiercely and stepped forward towards Bruck, but Bant grabbed hold of his arm, pulling him back.

"Let it go Obi, please, let's just go," Bant pleaded softly. "You can't get into trouble."

"Yeah," the Dressellian boy, who had stood by Bant added. "I'm hungry. Let's go eat."

"Reeft, you're always hungry. Come on Obi-Wan, he's just not worth the trouble," Garen said, tossing an arm around Obi-Wan's shoulders.

Obi-Wan and Bruck glowered at each other before Obi-Wan's friends managed to pull him away. Bruck sneered at the lot of them.

Anakin hid behind a bunch of bushes as Obi-Wan's group headed towards the door. He was shocked at what had just happened, his heart was pounding in his chest in a panic. _'That was **Obi-Wan**?'_

* * *

A datapad on the bed beeped, announcing an incoming transmission. A hand picked it up and allowed the transmission through.

"Jinn here," the man stated sharply.

"Wish to see you soon, I do," Yoda said. "Return to Coruscant, you must."

"Don't you have another mission for me Master?" Qui-Gon asked. "As much as I enjoy your company, I am more useful out here."

"Return to Coruscant, you will," Yoda insisted.

Qui-Gon sighed, "Yes Master."

 

To be continued...


	3. First encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin tries to throw Obi-Wan into Qui-Gon's path to see if things will stick.

Anakin went to see the quartermaster and hoped that Obi-Wan wouldn't get into any trouble while he's not around to intervene if necessary. He hauled his spare clothes to the knight's quarters he was assigned to and dropped them onto the couch there. He'll organize things later. There were more important business to be had. He sat down in front of the console in the room and looked up the list of masters in the Temple. He needed to make sure that Qui-Gon was around to even arrange for him to come across Obi-Wan.

"Sith," Anakin hissed. "He's not in the Temple."

An anonymous message popped up onto the screen. 

> _Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn is on his way to Coruscant. ETA 10 hours._

Anakin blinked. The message was unsigned and sent anonymously. He glanced at the time. Tomorrow morning, that's when he will arrive. He had no idea who would send it to him, all things considered, but he wasn't going to toss away a gift of the Force.

 _'Now, I need to find a way to make Master Obi-Wan appealing to Master Qui-Gon so that he will agree to take him on as a student, despite having said that he will take no further apprentices,'_ Anakin thought to himself. _'I don't think the way he acted earlier would make Master Qui-Gon take him. I wonder how Master Obi-Wan got to the way he is if **that** was how he acted as a child.'_

Faintly, he remembered words spoken by Master Thracia Cho Leem in passing. _Obi-Wan has forgotten ever being a child._

Anakin felt saddened at the thought, _'Don't worry Master, things will be different this time. It'll be better.'_

* * *

The next morning, Anakin checked the temple listings. Sure enough, Qui-Gon was listed as being in-temple. He quickly left his quarters. He needed to find a way to keep track of his targets. One was easier than the other. All he would have to do is ask where the initiate classes are and he was sure he'd be pointed in the right direction. A certain master Jedi however...might be better tracked by stalking.

He first checked the Room of a Thousand Fountains. It was a pretty enough place and many Jedi seemed to like meditating there, perhaps Qui-Gon would like to meditate there. He was also checking to make sure that Obi-Wan wasn't climbing trees without permission again. It would make a terrible first impression if Qui-Gon was there while Obi-Wan was doing something he wasn't supposed to. Fortunately, Anakin couldn't find Obi-Wan in the large area. Unfortunately, he couldn't find Qui-Gon either.

Next, he went to the commissary. A Jedi's got to eat after all. His stomach growled as a reminder that he needed to eat too. He grabbed a tray and made his selection before turning to survey the hall. There were plenty of empty seats, but he couldn't find Qui-Gon amongst the crowd. He opted for one of the seats in a quiet corner that would give him an excellent vantage of the hall.

He had only sat down to eat when another tray appeared on the table. He blinked at it uncomprehendingly.

"Settling in well, you are?" Yoda asked, popping up on the chair.

"Yes Master Yoda," Anakin replied.

"Good, good," Yoda crooned. "Eat more capellera leaves, you should. Good for you they are."

"Yes Master," Anakin said, eating said leaves from his plate.

"Someone in particular, seeking you are?" Yoda asked, starting in on his own plate.

"Ah, well," Anakin stumbled. "I had thought that I might get to know Master Jinn better while I'm here."

"Hmmmm," Yoda hummed. "Elusive, Master Jinn prefers to be. Training salles, where he is most commonly found. The Wild Gardens, he prefers as well."

Anakin relaxed, "Thank you Master."

"Encounter, you have, young Kenobi?" Yoda questioned, raising a pointed ear.

Anakin flushed. "I saw him yes, but he didn't see me. I assure you, I will keep my promise to the Council. I will not tell him of his future."

Yoda nodded. "In two hours time, for tea, Master Jinn is scheduled for. Join us, you may. My quarters, you know, hmmmm?"

"Yes Master, thank you Master," Anakin replied, ducking his head in gratitude.

They ate in companionable silence. A silence which was disturbed by a group of younglings entering the hall. Anakin watched as Obi-Wan laughed and joked with his friends, trying to reconcile this joyful boy with his somber master, or even the angry boy from the day before. Yoda followed his gaze.

"Strange is it, to view your master so?" Yoda asked.

"A little," Anakin confessed. "I keep thinking that he'd do one thing, but instead, he would do something radically different."

"Great potential there is," Yoda told him. "Learn quickly, he does. More arrogant and impatient, he was. Loyal and kind, he is. Angry, he becomes, when faced with injustice. Changed, he has?"

"He is still many of those things Master," Anakin reassured. "Certainly more patient by the sounds of it. As to his anger..."

Anakin drifted off into thought, he could almost remember a shadow of the boy's anger from yesterday reflected in the eyes of his master in the months since the beginning of the Clone Wars. He shook his head, focusing once more on Yoda, "He controls his anger well, but sometimes, when something horrifying occurs, I see a rage that wishes to be unleashed. We saw much hardship in the galaxy during the years of my apprenticeship and I'm sure he bore witness to much more while under his own, but despite this, he has managed to retain himself and move forward, bringing peace where he could, no matter the cost to himself."

Yoda sighed, "To hear such things, glad I am. Strong, he will be."

"Yes Master." Anakin agreed. _'Now if only I could get him apprenticed to Master Qui-Gon like he's **supposed** to be.'_

* * *

Anakin arrived at Yoda's quarters at the time he specified. He rang the buzzer and was admitted by the ancient master. Tea was already set out on the low table, cushions instead of chairs were available, but Qui-Gon was nowhere in sight.

"Come soon, he will," Yoda reassured. "Sit, sit."

Anakin hung his robe up by the door and sat at one of the place settings. He watched Yoda putter about for a bit before the chime sounded. Yoda opened the door to Qui-Gon.

"Master," Qui-Gon greeted. He noted a stranger in Yoda's rooms. "I had thought it would just be you and I."

"Come, come," Yoda said, nudging Qui-Gon with his gimmer stick. "Transfer, he is. To know the man behind the legend, he wishes."

Qui-Gon sighed, entered, and hung up his cloak. He approached the stranger, who stood at his arrival.

"Greetings Master Jinn, my name is Anakin Skywalker," Anakin introduced. "It is an honor to meet you."

Qui-Gon noted the lack of the padawan braid and the lightsaber on the belt. He shook the offered hand and said blandly, "Nice to meet you Knight Skywalker."

They all sat around the table and Yoda carefully poured the tea for each of them.

"A very nice blend," Qui-Gon complimented, having taken a sip. "So, tell me Knight Skywalker, how long have you been a knight?"

"Only a few weeks Master Jinn," Anakin replied, taking his own sip of tea. "I'm still trying to get used to being on my own, away from my master."

"You'll get used to it in time," Qui-Gon advised. "Is there anything you wish to ask of me?"

Anakin bit his lip, considering, and said, "Actually, I was thinking about taking on an apprentice. I was wondering if you had any suggestions? Such as, picking the right child."

Qui-Gon set down his cup immediately, with a bit more force than necessary. Yoda simply sipped from his own cup, silent and observing.

"Master Jinn?" Anakin asked.

Qui-Gon closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again. "You have time before you need to take an apprentice. New knights are typically assigned missions that are either solo in nature or in a group for about 5 years before they are encouraged to take a student to pass on their knowledge to the next generation. As you've been newly knighted, it is unwise for you to take a student so soon."

Anakin's eyebrows raised in shock. _'I didn't know **that**. I'm also pretty sure that Master Obi-Wan was newly knighted when he took **me** on as his padawan. Why did he do that when it wasn't typically done? He always follows the code and rules.'_

"As to picking the right child..." Qui-Gon said, trailing off. "It is the Force that decides which child is the right one. Just trust in the Force and it will steer you to the one who is meant for you."

"If you don't mind me asking Master," Anakin said. "Do you have a padawan right now?"

Qui-Gon stilled and his face became stony.

"I apologize Master," Anakin said. "Forget I even asked."  _'I hope he's free to take a padawan right now.'_

"Nine years it has been, since Xanatos' betrayal," Yoda announced. "Time it is, for you to guide another to knighthood."

"No," Qui-Gon stated firmly. "There will be no other."

"Padawan in your future, there is," Yoda insisted. "The Force, screams of it, it does."

"The future is ever changing my master," Qui-Gon countered. "The moment is how I live and there is no padawan in it."

Yoda grabbed his gimmer stick and whacked it across Qui-Gon's shins. "Nine years it has been, ready you are."

Anakin winced and offered, "Perhaps you could accompany me to the creche so you can point out characteristics that would make a child a suitable apprentice? I know you said the Force decides, but surely it would be best to know the child in question as well."

"Very well, since you insist on this despite all I've told you," Qui-Gon said, getting up. "Thank you Master Yoda for tea. Perhaps I'll visit again soon."

Anakin hastily got up as well. "Thank you for the invitation Master Yoda. The tea was wonderful."

"Pleasure it always is, to have company over," Yoda said serenely. "Certain I am, we will speak again soon."

Yoda walked them to the door and watched as Anakin and Qui-Gon grabbed their cloaks and left his quarters. He watched them go, grinning to himself.

* * *

Qui-Gon and Anakin walked down the corridor in silence.

 _'I hope Obi-Wan is currently in the creche and not running around like a maniac,'_ Anakin thought to himself.

The Force seemed to be with Anakin today. As they entered the creche, Obi-Wan was sitting at a table with Bant, pointing something out to her on a datapad.

"So Master Jinn, what characteristic would you look for in a child?" Anakin asked.

Qui-Gon sighed and looked around at the various children running around. They had mercifully not noticed them, otherwise they would've been mobbed.

"What about the red haired boy? It looks like he's helping that Mon Calamari girl study," Anakin pointed out.

Qui-Gon eyed the boy the young knight pointed out to him. "Adequate I suppose; kindness and compassion are important for a Jedi, but they're not everything."

"Well, if he's teaching another initiate, that means he knowledgeable as well," Anakin informed him.

"What you're seeing is only what's on the surface. You need to look beyond that," Qui-Gon retorted.  _'Like I should've done with Xan.'_

Anakin paused and replied, "You said before to trust the Force to guide the way. Well, the Force is telling me that he will be a great Jedi one day. All he needs is a master to show him the way."

Qui-Gon folded his arms across his chest. "If the Force tells you this, then I'm sure either a knight or master will have already approached him to become their padawan."

"That's the thing Master Jinn," Anakin replied. "He's nearing the cutoff point and no master or knight has shown him any interest."

Qui-Gon turned to look at the younger man and frowned at him. "If no one has seen fit to have him as a student so close to his 13th year, then perhaps there is something that makes him unsuitable to become an apprentice at all. As I said, do not be fooled by outward appearances."

Anakin gritted his teeth in sudden anger. "There is nothing wrong with him," Anakin gritted out.

"It seems that your master failed to teach you how to handle your emotions properly before knighting you," Qui-Gon remarked. "Calm and serenity are necessary for the Jedi life."

"There is nothing wrong with my master's teachings!" Anakin hissed, outraged. "I will not allow anyone to slander my master."

Qui-Gon narrowed his eyes, "Perhaps it is not just detachment of emotions that you failed to learn, but learning to properly deal with attachments as well. You seem unreasonably attached to your master."

Anakin took a deep breath and tried to release his anger into the Force, just like Obi-Wan tried to beat into his head. "There is nothing wrong with how I was taught, nor is there anything wrong with the initiate over there," Anakin said sternly, as calm as he could. "In fact, I think the Force is telling me that he would make a wonderful apprentice for _you_."

Qui-Gon sniffed distainfully, "I have no need for a student, nor do I want one. The Council keeps me busy out in the Outer Rim, it would be too dangerous to bring a new padawan out there, and they can ill-afford taking me out of the mission rotation out there."

"I'm sure the Council would be willing to wait for your new padawan to adapt to your typical missions, and I'm sure that initiate is adaptable enough to keep up with you," Anakin insisted.

"All this is merely hypothetical and pointless. I will not be taking anyone as an apprentice. If you have nothing further, I bid you good day," Qui-Gon snapped, turning away and leaving the creche.

Anakin leaned against the wall by the door, closing his eyes, trying to steady his breathing and to suppress the fierce urge to destroy something.

"Are you alright sir?" a young voice asked, concerned.

Anakin opened his eyes to find Obi-Wan staring up at him with wide innocent eyes.

"I'm fine young initiate," Anakin said. "Thank you for your concern. We did not disturb your studying I trust?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, "We were finished sir. Are you new here? I don't think I've seen you around."

Anakin smiled wryly, "My name is Anakin Skywalker. I was recently knighted and was transferred here unexpectedly."

"It is an honor to meet you Knight Skywalker," Obi-Wan said, bowing slightly. "Are you looking for something in particular sir? Masters and knights who are not instructors rarely enter the creche...unless they are here to select a padawan." Obi-Wan turned hopeful eyes on Anakin.

 _'Shit, shit, shit!'_ Anakin thought in a panic. _'Master Obi-Wan's supposed to go to Master Qui-Gon! I am sooooo **fucked**.'_

"Um, ah," Anakin stuttered, eyes darting for an escape. "I was recently knighted, so I don't think I'm ready for a padawan."

"Oh," Obi-Wan said, disappointed.

Anakin placed a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder reassuringly, "Don't worry young one, I'm sure a master will come for you soon enough. In fact, I hope you don't mind if I visit you more often. I wouldn't mind getting to know you."

Obi-Wan beamed up at Anakin, "Okay!"

Anakin was so fucked.

 

To be continued...


	4. Second encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin tries a different approach. Naturally if fails.

Anakin managed to escape the creche without accidentally taking anyone as a padawan. His hair was ruffled and his robes were askew.

"No wonder non-teaching masters and knights avoid it," Anakin mumbled, pulling his clothes aright. "Once I had the attention of one youngling, they all swarmed on me."

The other Jedi he passed in the corridors gave him a pitying look. They saw him come from the creche after all.

 _'Okay, that didn't work out very well,'_ Anakin thought to himself. _'Master Qui-Gon's walls are a tough one to crack. Shame I can't just blow them up.'_

Anakin winced as he remembered his master's last words to him in that abandoned temple. _'Okay, no blowing up Master Qui-Gon. How on earth did he become the man I met on Tatooine when he's like this **now**? I really wished Master Obi-Wan told me how he got accepted as an apprentice. Force, any stories about Master Qui-Gon might've prepared me for **this**! Honestly, the gall of the man to suggest that Master Obi-Wan was a bad teacher. That's a bunch of bantha poodoo. He's the best master anyone can ask for.'_

Anakin walked to the Wild Gardens, he peeked inside and found Qui-Gon in a dark corner, practically smothered in foliage, meditating. He sighed and walked over, kneeling before the older man, waiting somewhat patiently.

After what seemed like hours, which in reality was only about ten minutes, Qui-Gon surfaced from his meditations and opened his eyes to look at Anakin.

"If you're here to try and convince me to take that boy as my padawan, you might as well leave young knight," Qui-Gon glowered.

 _'Time for a more subtle, diplomatic, approach I suppose.'_ "No Master," Anakin replied. "I just wanted to apologize for my behavior. I had known that you did not wish for a student, yet I had ignored those wishes and tried to push one on you anyway."

Qui-Gon eyed Anakin suspiciously, "Very well, apology accepted. In the future, be more mindful of the wishes of others if you wish to continue to serve as a Jedi."

"Yes Master," Anakin replied. "It's just so frustrating to see such potential wasted, that's all."

"Sometimes, it is better for the potential to be wasted than to have it turn on you," Qui-Gon said quietly, remembering.

Anakin furrowed his brow. _'Turn on you, Master Obi-Wan wouldn't turn on you. As far as I could tell, he loved you.'_ "I don't understand Master."

Qui-Gon closed his eyes and replied, "Let us say, hypothetically speaking, that you take a boy as an apprentice that you saw great potential in. He was everything you'd ever wanted in a padawan. He was smart, mischievous, clever, able to adapt, agile, strong. Together, you expanded his strengths and worked on his weaknesses, never realizing that one day, he would use all that you taught him against you. There was a darkness within the boy that you had willingly ignored and it costed lives. Had he never became a padawan, he would have been sent away to the Corps, where everyone was safer for it."

"I do not believe this initiate would do such a thing," Anakin protested. "All I can sense from him is Light. He does not deserve to be sent away."

"What you think he deserves doesn't matter. If the Force wills it that he is to be trained, he will be," Qui-Gon stated, getting up. "I grow weary of this conversation and your dogged attempts at persuasion. It is clear you are no diplomat."

Anakin flinched, Qui-Gon nodded, satisfied and left the gardens. Anakin mumbled to himself, "Just be glad I'm not allowed to do what I usually do."

Anakin shifted, settling him for his own meditation, hoping that the Force will show him the way to making Qui-Gon see reason.

* * *

Anakin surfaced from his meditations to see a young Obi-Wan beside him, watching him carefully. Anakin tilted his head at the boy, confused.

"Classes are over for the day," Obi-Wan informed him. "Do you fly? I've always wanted to fly."

Anakin smiled, surprised, "I do enjoy flying. The faster, the better. Tell me, do you like to tinker with machinery as well?"

Obi-Wan grinned and nodded. Together, they went to the Temple hanger bay and found a decommissioned speeder to work on. It was a simple enough project and Anakin felt that there would be no harm in teaching Obi-Wan how the speeder works and how to take apart a speeder engine.

 _'Nothing could possibly go wrong,'_ Anakin thought. _'I_ _t's so relaxing to working on something together.'_

Obi-Wan reached towards the timing belt, but Anakin pulled his hands away.

"Don't, it's too dangerous for you," Anakin stated.

"But I know what I'm doing," Obi-Wan protested. "It looks a little loose; I was just going to tighten it. I'll be fine. My smaller fingers can get to the parts much easier than you."

"Well, we don't want to lose any fingers right?" Anakin asked.

"Yeah, yeah," Obi-Wan muttered.

"My Master would be appalled to see that my orders weren't being followed. I have more experience than you, so you should listen and obey," Anakin said firmly. "As my Master once told me 'Age is not a guaranteed measure for wisdom, but experience is.' I've been working on machines like these longer than you've been alive. So I know what I'm talking about if something is dangerous. I've seen a lot of kids who worked on such things lose fingers and then died of medical complications."

 "Yes Master," Obi-Wan drawled. "Now, since you insist of not letting me fix that timing belt, I'm going to see about replacing the power converters."

"Don't get uppity with me little one," Anakin chastised. "And make sure the power is off when you do that."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and went to grab replacement power converters. While he was gone, Anakin quickly checked to make sure that the power source was completely disconnected. He also checked to make sure that there weren't anything there that Obi-Wan could hurt himself on.

Obi-Wan returned and frowned at the connectors to the power source. He eyed Anakin, who was busy looking busy, and shrugged.

"So," Obi-Wan started off as they were screwing various things into place. "Who was the master you were talking to earlier?"

Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan, uncertain as to the point of this conversation. "That was Master Qui-Gon Jinn little one."

"Oh," Obi-Wan replied, disappointed.

"Why?" Anakin asked, brows furrowed.

"I just thought it was another master who might be looking for a padawan, but if it's Master Jinn..." Obi-Wan trailed off.

"In my temple, we never discussed the personal life of Master Jinn," Anakin stated. "Can you tell me why he has sworn off taking a padawan?"

Obi-Wan blinked at Anakin and bit his lip. "What do you know about his previous padawans?"

Anakin hummed thoughtfully, his fingers tapping on his chin, leaving grease marks. "Not much I'm afraid." _'It's not like I can tell him that the only previous padawan I know of is him.'_

Obi-Wan sighed, taking a rag and rubbing at his fingers. "Master Jinn has taught two padawans. His first was Knight Feemor. His second padawan was Xanatos."

Anakin frowned, he knew that name. Yoda had mentioned it earlier. "What did this Xanatos do?"

"I don't know much, there's not a lot in the public records that we initiates are allowed to access," Obi-Wan confessed. "All I know is the rumor that Xanatos fell to the Dark Side and attacked Master Jinn. It was because of him that Master Jinn refused to even consider taking another apprentice."

 _'Oh. Oh! Shit, how am I going to get him to take Master Obi-Wan if that's his reason why,'_ Anakin thought furiously to himself. _'There's not enough time to hunt down a healer to give Master Qui-Gon therapy before attaching Master Obi-Wan to him.'_

Anakin coughed, clearing his throat. "So, what would you do if Master Jinn asked you to be his padawan?"

Obi-Wan blinked at him. "But he doesn't want anyone, least of all me. I mean, no one else does, so why would he look at me?"

Anakin swiftly gripped Obi-Wan's shoulder firmly, "There is nothing wrong with you."

"But-"

"Nothing," Anakin insisted. "They're just too blind to see how wonderful you are. I'm certain there is someone out there who isn't."

Obi-Wan looked down at his lap, "Then why aren't they here?"

"Maybe they're on their way," Anakin said. "You must be patient. As my Master liked to tell me, 'Sometimes a Jedi's most important duty is to stand and wait.' You must learn patience. It is an essential skill for a Jedi to have."

Obi-Wan nodded unhappily. Anakin realized he was getting Obi-Wan all dirty. The creche masters were not going to be pleased.

"Go clean up little one," Anakin said. "It's almost time for dinner. I'm sure you don't want to eat while you're so dirty."

"Yes sir," Obi-Wan said, leaving.

Anakin sighed, resting his head on the speeder. _'How am I going to do this? I wish Master was here to help.'_

* * *

Anakin found Qui-Gon in the commissary. He grabbed his own tray of food and sat down across from Qui-Gon.

Qui-Gon looked at Anakin. "I would have thought you would be tired of my presence."

Anakin shrugged. "You're the only person I know here, besides Master Yoda, and I don't feel like sitting with him."

Qui-Gon grunted in agreement. He had been confronted by the ancient master regarding his unwillingness to take on another student after he had left Anakin.

"You should consider making friends amongst the knights your own age," Qui-Gon suggested.

"I will take that under advisement Master," Anakin replied.

Anakin looked over to another table and found Obi-Wan sitting with his friends.

"Don't even think about it," Qui-Gon growled.

Anakin sighed and focused on his meal.

 

To be continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I know nothing about mechanical parts to a vehicle, much less for the Star Wars universe. Hopefully it's not too weird and the parts I talked about actually exists for the machinery in Star Wars.


	5. Third time's the charm?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin finds that he must resist the urge to kill, no matter how much they deserve it.

The next morning, Anakin found Obi-Wan alone in the training salle. Or, he thought Obi-Wan was alone. The white haired boy from before was there too. Anakin watched as they approached a mat, training lightsabers in hand. Anakin saw that besides the three of them, the boys were alone in the salle.

Anakin frowned, moving closer to watch, _'Why are they here? If they're sparring, there should be someone to supervise.'_

"When are you going to give in to the inevitable?" Bruck taunted, igniting his training saber. "You're a loser, always has been, always will be."

"It is not the Jedi way to simply stop when faced with opposition Bruck," Obi-Wan snapped, igniting his own training saber. "But to persevere."

"Just admit it Oafy-Wan, no one wants you. You are useless," Bruck sneered.

"I am not useless. And I don't see anyone else picking you to be their padawan," Obi-Wan retorted. "And I told you to stop calling me that. No wonder no one wants you if you can't even follow simple instructions."

Bruck scowled and attacked. Obi-Wan quickly parried.

"No matter how much you try, you're doomed to be a failure, it's your fate," Bruck informed him as he kicked Obi-Wan in the stomach.

Obi-Wan held a hand to his stomach in pain and then straightened into his attack stance.

"If I'm a failure, then what are you?" Obi-Wan asked, grounding himself. "You're no better off than I am. No one wants a bully."

Bruck snarled and charged. They exchanged furious blows, any undefended strikes leaving marks and faint bruising.

"You think you're so good, you think you're helping others," Bruck growled. "It's a lie. All a lie! All you're doing is spreading the suffering. One day, your friends will realize that they were fools to follow you. All you'll lead them to is death. They'll abandon you, just like they should."

"If I hurt them, then it's their right to leave me," Obi-Wan admitted. "However, unlike you, I will never betray their trust in **me**!"

Anakin watched with baited breath as the fight went on, growing more intense as time and taunts went on. Luckily for Anakin's blood pressure, Obi-Wan managed to knock Bruck's saber from his hand, ending the fight.

"I...win..." Obi-Wan panted with his saber at Bruck's neck.

Bruck gritted his teeth and looked away. Obi-Wan walked away slowly, eyes still on Bruck, unwilling to turn his back to the other boy. Obi-Wan headed towards the door to the showers, while Bruck left the salle entirely. Anakin breathed a sigh of relief that the fight was over, however, he was concerned over the injuries Obi-Wan had obtained in the match.

_'Internal bleeding could kill just as easily as a saber to the heart,'_ Anakin thought to himself, biting his thumbnail. _'I should get him to the healers once he leaves the showers.'_

Anakin waited until Obi-Wan reappeared, freshly showered and dressed, wincing slightly. Anakin quickly appeared at his side.

"Are you alright?" Anakin asked, concerned.

"Yes sir," Obi-Wan replied, his expression of pain fading into a smooth mask.

_'Huh, he's already got that look down packed,'_ Anakin thought, impressed, but distressed at the same time. _'I wonder how many times Master Obi-Wan was hurt and I didn't notice.'_

Together, they walked out of the salle, Obi-Wan wincing slightly as they walked.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Anakin asked doubtfully.

"I'm fine," Obi-Wan gritted out.

"There is no shame asking for help," Anakin offered.

Obi-Wan opened his mouth, but their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Mace Windu.

"Initiate Kenobi," Mace said sternly. "The Council requires your presence."

Anakin and Obi-Wan shared a concerned look. Obi-Wan stepped forward to follow Mace to the Council chamber. Anakin stepped forward to follow, but Mace held up his hand to stop him.

"I specified Initiate Kenobi only. Your presence is not required," Mace informed him.

Anakin saw Obi-Wan's eyes widened in fear.

"I disagree Master Windu," Anakin objected. "If it is something that concerns Initiate Obi-Wan, then it concerns me as well."

Mace narrowed his eyes at Anakin, frowning fiercely. Anakin lifted his chin and stared back boldly.

"Fine," Mace conceded. "However, you will stay out of the way and not say a word."

Both Anakin and Mace politely ignored how Obi-Wan relaxed a little at Mace's pronouncement. Together, the three of them walked to the Council chamber. Anakin drifted off to the side when they entered, so he could observe, but not be in the way. Mace sat down in his seat and Obi-Wan stood at the center of the room.

"Greetings Masters," Obi-Wan said, bowing.

"I'm sure you have questions as to the reason why you are here before us," Adi stated.

"Yes Master Gallia," Obi-Wan said.

"You have been brought before us so we can discuss what you've done to Initiate Chun," Mace informed him.

Obi-Wan's brows furrows in confusion. "What I have done to Initiate Chun?"

"Initiate Chun had reported to the healers claiming that you had brutally attacked him, unprovoked," Mace said. "Other initiates have backed his claim as witnesses."

Anakin stiffened. _'WHAT?!? He wasn't that badly hurt, just bruises. Unprovoked my ass, that lying little brat! Shit, what's that going to happen now?'_

"We were sparring earlier, but I did not think I had injured him beyond simple bruises," Obi-Wan protested.

Mace's eyes narrowed. "You were not scheduled for sparring. You did it unsupervised?"

Obi-Wan looked down at his feet. "We wanted to settle something, just the two of us."

"Young one, there is a reason why we spar supervised," Adi said gently. "It's so that we could prevent injuries."

"Not to mention the supervisor could stand witness to your testimony," Yaddle added.

_'Don't you **dare** try and kick him out due to that lying little brat.'_ Anakin made to step forward, but Mace's harsh glare directed towards him held him in place.

Once Mace was certain that Anakin would not interfere, "The Council does not condone abuse to fellow Jedi. We are very disappointed in you Initiate Kenobi."

"That is a bunch of bantha poodoo," Anakin snapped, striding forward, furious.

"Knight Skywalker, I allowed you here on the grounds of an observer. You promised me that you would not interfere," Mace told him.

"And I would have remained silent had you not started spouting off nonsense," Anakin protested. "First off, _I_ was there, watching the match. Second off, Initiate Chun left the training salle with only minor bruising. There were nothing that would've suggested abuse. **And** while we're on the topic of abuse, shall we bring up Initiate Chun's history of _emotional_ abuse to his fellow initiates?"

"Initiate Chun has no history of abusing his fellow initiates," Yarael said firmly. "We have heard the occasional battlefield taunts, but that is normal for children their age."

"You do not watch them every hour of every day. Have you not considered that he would act differently if he was unobserved?" Anakin questioned.

Yoda struck the floor with his gimmer stick, hard, gaining everyone's attention. "Enough, I have heard. Clear it is, that Knight Skywalker is witness to the truth."

"Biased," Mace added sourly.

"Regardless, truth he spoke," Yoda insisted. "A task Initates Chun and Kenobi shall do."

"Task?" Yaddle asked.

"Eagerness for apprenticeship, makes one desperate it does," Yoda said. "A duel they shall complete, before potential masters. Perhaps ease antagonism, this will. Well, Initiate Chun will be, by tomorrow?"

"The healers expect that to be the case Master," Adi said, consulting her datapad.

"Decided it is, a duel tomorrow morning," Yoda stated firmly. "Dismissed you are Knight Skywalker, Initiate Kenobi. Rest you require, for tomorrow."

"Yes Master," Anakin and Obi-Wan said, bowing in unison.

Once Anakin and Obi-Wan left the Council Chamber, Mace leaned over and hissed, "What are you planning? The only master who is free to take on a padawan currently in-temple is Qui-Gon and he doesn't want a padawan."

"Hide from destiny, he cannot," Yoda said confidently. "Face it he must."

Mace sighed and rubbed his temples, he was getting a headache dealing with this shit.

* * *

The next morning found Obi-Wan and Bruck warming up in the training salle, on separate mats. Qui-Gon was dragged into the room by Anakin, at Yoda's behest.

"Overbearing old troll," Qui-Gon huffed. "This is a pointless endeavor, I don't want a padawan."

"It'll be easier on you if you just did what he wanted," Anakin suggested.

Qui-Gon glared at him. They stood by the mat in the center of the room, waiting for the initiates to be ready. Once warmed up, both Obi-Wan and Bruck approached the center mat. They bowed to their audience, bowed to each other, ignited their training sabers, and then took their starting stance.

"Begin," Qui-Gon intoned.

The two initiates traded blows, some blocked, others dodged. It was a beautiful sight, both initiates were talented with their blades, though their styles were different. However, as time went on, they both started to tire. Bruck started to use his greater size to his advantage against Obi-Wan. It became harder for Obi-Wan to block those strikes and he started tiring faster. Desperate to prove himself, Obi-Wan launched a ferocious attack, not caring about the danger to himself, and knocked Bruck to the mat, his saber at Bruck's throat, whereas Bruck's saber was just out of his reach.

"Yield," Obi-Wan demanded, exhausted.

"I...yield," Bruck gritted out.

Obi-Wan shut off his training saber and held out his hand to help Bruck up. Bruck ignored the offered hand and stood up on his own, retrieving his own training saber. Together, they turned to their audience and bowed. They waited to see if either one of them had the smallest of chances to becoming a padawan.

"That was a brilliant display of skill," Anakin commented. "Had I not been newly knighted and ready for a padawan, I would pick one of you for sure!"

"Yes, it was an impressive display," Qui-Gon grunted, after Anakin nudged him in the ribs to say something. "You both fought valiantly. However, I'm sure you both know that I have no interest in taking a padawan."

Bruck looked down, disappointed.

"Master Jinn, I will be thirteen in four weeks. You are my last chance to be a Jedi Knight," Obi-Wan begged. Bruck sneered off to the side.

Qui-Gon frowned at the boy. "In the end there, you fought with much anger, perhaps you would be better off not being trained."

Obi-Wan flinched and looked down, Bruck smirked at Obi-Wan, and Anakin gaped at Qui-Gon. _'That was blunt and to the point; so cold.'_ Anakin thought to himself.

Qui-Gon left the training salle soon after and Bruck bowed at Anakin before leaving as well. Anakin knelt before Obi-Wan and pulled the boy into his embrace. Obi-Wan trembled and Anakin could feel his tunic dampen where Obi-Wan rested his face.

"Hush little one, we'll find a master for you, I promise," Anakin said.

"You try so hard to help me, even when I'm not worth it," Obi-Wan whispered.

"You are worth it," Anakin insisted. "There'll be someone who can see your worth, you'll see."

"I wish you were my master."

Fuck.

 

To be continued...


	6. Final confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oops?

Anakin led Obi-Wan out of the training salle and managed to track down one of Obi-Wan's friends, Bant.

"Initiate Eerin right?" Anakin asked.

"Yes sir," Bant replied. "How may I help you?"

"Initiate Kenobi's a little down right now, could you take care of him?" Anakin requested. "There's something I need to do."

"Of course," Bant said, taking Obi-Wan's arm. "Come on Obi."

Anakin watched as Obi-Wan trailed, mournfully, behind his friend. Anakin gritted his teeth in frustration and turned to go find a certain jerk of a Jedi master. He found him, stalking the halls off the main corridor. Anakin ran up to him, grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him up against the wall, his hands tightly fisting Qui-Gon's front tunics.

"Why?!" Anakin shouted at him. "Why would you say such a thing to a _child_?"

"It had to be said," Qui-Gon replied calmly. "Surely you realize that the galaxy beyond the temple walls is not all sunshine and rainbows. Better he learns this lesson now than for him to die for it. You hover over him like a mother-hawk with only one chick. You seek to protect him, however, you did not consider that the best way to protect him is to keep him out of the fight. A Jedi's life is full of hardships, the same hardships you shelter him from. You make him _weak_."

"So what!" Anakin howled. "So what if I want to protect him! Yes I will concede that the galaxy is a hard place, and that a Jedi's life is a hard life. _However_ , a Jedi shouldn't have to guard themselves so amongst **allies**! It is by working together that we can achieve the impossible, but how can we work together if we cannot trust one another?"

"The only one you can trust is yourself," Qui-Gon sneered. "All the others will either betray you or leave. If you want to keep the boy safe, he is better off to be sent away than to be made fodder for the cruel galaxy."

"You underestimate him," Anakin hissed. "He is stronger than you know. Take him as your apprentice. You will see him as I see him. He will be a great Jedi one day, you _must_ believe me."

"I won't take Kenobi as an apprentice," Qui-Gon snarled. "You're a fool to think otherwise."

"But, but, but he's got so much potential! He'll be a great Jedi!" Anakin protested.

"Well, if you think so, then why won't _you_ take him as a padawan?" Qui-Gon snapped, Force-pushing Anakin away from him. "Hah! Check and mate."

Qui-Gon turned and sauntered off, leaving Anakin gobsmacked where he lay.

_'Fuck,'_ Anakin swore at himself. _'Fuck! I fucked up because as far as I know, I'm the only thing different in this situation, so it must be me being here that somehow made Master Qui-Gon not want to apprentice Master Obi-Wan.'_

Anakin looked at Qui-Gon's retreating back and considered his options. _'Well Anakin, old boy, are you just going to sit here being all mopey, or are you going to fix this somehow? Master Obi-Wan **must** be trained, otherwise everything else will fall apart. We **need** him in the future. **I** need him in the future.'_ Anakin thought to himself.

And so, Anakin turned towards Qui-Gon and shouted, "Well Master Jinn, maybe I will."

He turned towards the main corridor wanting to go and find Obi-Wan. Instead, he found Bant and Obi-Wan staring at him in shock. How long had they been standing there? How much did they hear?

Anakin squared his shoulders, walked right up to Obi-Wan, and knelt. "Initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi, would you do me the honor of becoming my Padawan Learner?" Anakin asked, staring seriously into Obi-Wan's eyes.

Obi-Wan looked back, wide-eyed, at him and stuttered out, "Y-Yes! It would be my honor to be your Padawan Learner!"

Anakin smiled and held out his arms. Obi-Wan quickly ran into them, holding his new master tightly. Bant bubbled happily beside them. Qui-Gon frowned at the display before stalking off. Yoda, who was standing off to the side, unnoticed, hummed to himself, smiling. The future was changing, being set down a different path, but Yoda intended to see to it that Qui-Gon does not shirk his destiny.

* * *

[Meanwhile, back in Year 13 after the Great ReSynchronization (Year 978 after the Ruusan Reformation) in an old, abandoned temple...]

Obi-Wan shivered slightly, it was like icy fingers had crawled up his spine.

"Sir? Are you alright?" Cody asked.

"I sense a disturbance in the Force," Obi-Wan admitted. "We didn't get any communication from Anakin's group have we?"

"No sir," Cody replied.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest, stroking his beard, considering. "Let's go find Anakin. I have a bad feeling about all this."

"Yes sir."

They headed back down the stairs, passed the point where they split from Anakin's group. They encountered two clone troopers from Anakin's group along the way.

"Sir," they greeted, saluting.

"Why are you heading up?" Cody asked.

"We were sent to find General Kenobi sir," one of the clones replied.

"Me?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes sir," the other answered. "We've...developed a situation sir."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off the headache he knew was brewing. "Anakin touched something didn't he?"

"Uh..." the first clone hesitated, trying to find a more polite phrasing and failing. "It would appear that way sir."

Obi-Wan sighed. "Lead on then."

The group went down towards the level where Rex was waiting for them.

"Report Captain," Obi-Wan requested as he came up to stand beside Rex.

"Sir," Rex saluted. "General Skywalker found something that caught his eye."

He pointed to the rock on the floor.

"I see," Obi-Wan said, eyeing the item. "And I'm assuming he failed to heed my warning and touched the thing?"

"Yes sir."

Obi-Wan shook his head, sighing. "You know, I would use reverse-psychology on him, _if_ I was certain that there wasn't a chance that he would take it at face value and do as he liked."

"The General's a complicated man," Rex offered.

"He is indeed," Obi-Wan agreed. "You did not move it with anything?"

"No sir. The stone is where it dropped from General Skywalker's hands when he disappeared. He picked it up from that ledge," Rex replied, pointing to said ledge.

"Hmmmm," Obi-Wan hummed as he carefully stepped around the artifact to inspect the ledge.

"Can you bring General Skywalker back sir?" Rex asked. "As crazy as his plans usually are, we'd miss him."

"Hmmmm, I need time to study the artifact, to see how it works," Obi-Wan replied. "It may require me to go to him to get him out. I'll need to make sure we'll have a way out if it comes to that."

All the clone troopers stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him.

Obi-Wan noticed their attention and then reconsidered his wording. "Right, Anakin. I'll have to go to wherever he is to clean up his messes. Please make contact with the Council. I need to update them on the situation."

"Yes sir."

A holo-projection of Yoda appeared.

"Problem you have?" Yoda asked.

"It seemed Anakin found something," Obi-Wan remarked. "And then followed his usual standard procedure. We have no idea where the artifact put him, or if he still lives. It resembles nothing that I have seen in our records."

"Grave news, this is, yes," Yoda said. "What say you, of Skywalker's condition, hmmmm?"

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and reached out to the Force. "I believe he still lives, it's only a matter of where he is that is in question. However, I do not know if that is wishful thinking on my part or not."

"Meditate you must, on the artifact. Answers it may reveal," Yoda recommended. "Stretched thin we are, send others to you, we cannot. Trust, I do, that a solution you will find."

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan said, ending the connection.

"What do we do now sir?" Cody asked.

"I must meditate on this, to see if any answers can be gotten," Obi-Wan said. "Search the other levels, I want to know if there are anything that resembles this elsewhere, but make sure you do not touch it. It may hold a clue as to where Anakin is."

"Yes sir."

"We can only hope that Anakin hasn't gotten himself into too much trouble until we can find him again," Obi-Wan commented.

"It _is_ General Skywalker sir," Cody reminded.

"Right," Obi-Wan sighed.

 

To be continued...


	7. Bandomeer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their first mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank goodness for Wookieepedia. It's a wonderful resource. Keep in mind that all I've ever seen are the movies and The Clone Wars TV series. I haven't read the books, only fanfiction regarding this period in time, so I'm sure I've gotten a few characterizations wrong. *shifty-eyes* Or perhaps with Anakin plopped in this universe, things have changed...yeah....
> 
> Now...let the missions begin. ;)
> 
> Sorry for the delay.

Anakin sent Obi-Wan off to the creche to pack his things. He'll have to make arrangements to switch from a knight's set of rooms to a master's set, to make room for his new padawan.

His new padawan.

Fuck.

 _'I don't know the first thing about being a master to a youngling,'_ Anakin panicked.

"Impatient you were," Yoda commented from behind him. "Reckless, many would agree."

"Master Yoda," Anakin said, whirling to face the ancient master. "I...I...I couldn't let him be sent away!"

"Disappointed, I am, at how stubborn, Master Jinn is," Yoda sighed, leaning heavily on his gimmer stick. "What's done, is done. To take him away from you, cruel, it would be."

"Yes Master," Anakin said. "But I don't know anything about teaching younglings."

"Well you did, when working that speeder, you were," Yoda pointed out.

Anakin blinked at him. "You knew about that?"

Yoda chortled. "Arranged, it is," Yoda informed him. "Paperwork, I have done; Obi-Wan Kenobi, your padawan is. A master's quarters, you have been assigned. Move your things quickly, you must, a mission the Council has for you and young Kenobi."

"Yes Master," Anakin bowed as Yoda handed him a datapad. "Thank you Master."

Anakin quickly moved what little he had from the knight's quarters to his new master's quarters. He received the boxes of items assigned to his new padawan as Obi-Wan arrived with his own things with Bant helping.

"Put away your things quickly Padawan," Anakin told Obi-Wan. "And be prepared to pack, the Council is sending us on a mission."

"Already?" Bant asked.

"Missions wait for no one little one," Anakin replied.

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan said, quickly putting his things away.

Anakin and Obi-Wan left to speak with the Council, while Bant returned to the creche. They found Qui-Gon already there.

"Uh..." Anakin sputtered. "We apologize for the interruption. We will wait our turn."

"Actually, you'll be working with Master Jinn," Mace informed them.

"I don't need a partner, I work better alone," Qui-Gon protested. "Especially not some baby-faced knight and his pity-padawan."

Obi-Wan looked down, saddened. Anakin laid a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"Supreme Chancellor Kalpana received a request from Governor SonTag on Bandomeer. The Governor requested that a Jedi representative be sent for business concerning the Offworld Mining Corporation," Adi said. "They specifically requested Master Jinn by name."

"Then why the knight and his padawan?" Qui-Gon asked sourly.

"Feel, I do, that more to this, there is," Yoda confessed. "Danger, there is, that lies ahead."

"While Master Jinn handles the negotiations, Knight Skywalker and Padawan Kenobi will investigate the Offworld Mining Corporation to 'aid in the negotiations'," Mace said. "The fact that the Offworld Mining Company control so much of the ore and mineral extraction performed in the Outer Rim Territories concern us deeply. Officially, it would seem like we've sent the three of you to oversee the negotiations, but in reality, they're two different missions."

"Very well," Qui-Gon conceded and remarked to Anakin. "Try not to get your new padawan killed Knight Skywalker."

"We can look after ourselves," Anakin retorted.

"The Monument will take you there, tomorrow morning, along with employees of the Arcona Mineral Harvest Corporation and the Offworld Mining Corporation," Mace told them. "Try to make sure they don't kill each other before you reach Bandomeer."

"Great," Anakin muttered, wincing. "Babysitting."

"May the Force be with you," Mace said, dismissing them.

"I see you did not heed my warnings," Qui-Gon commented to Anakin as they left. "How disappointing."

"I'm sorry Master," Obi-Wan said to Anakin, once Qui-Gon was gone. "I feel that this is all my fault."

"No," Anakin replied, turning to face Obi-Wan. "It's not your fault. Master Jinn is a grown man, has been for a while now. His choices are his own, as my master used to say. Now go say goodbye to your friends and pack your things for the mission."

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan said before running off towards the creche.

Anakin took a deep breath. _'You can do this Anakin. I'll just teach him everything Master Obi-Wan taught me. It'll be fine, right?'_

* * *

The next morning, Anakin and Obi-Wan boarded the Monument with Qui-Gon. The freighter looked like a crate and had many dents from what could possibly be meteor hits, with the inside somehow looking worse than the outside. The atmosphere inside the Monument was tense. Due to the rivalry between the Arcona Mineral Harvest Corporation and the Offworld Mining Corporation, the freighter was divided into two parts, one for each faction.

"I'll take the first shift of patrol to make sure everyone plays nice," Qui-Gon told them. "I highly doubt you've developed a training bond yet, so you'd best get that started."

"Yes Master," Anakin drawled.

Qui-Gon quickly grabbed Anakin by his tunics and hissed into his ear quietly, "You have an impressionable, young padawan now young knight. I suggest you have more care of your actions before it becomes used against you."

Qui-Gon released Anakin and walked away. Anakin readjusted his tunics and shouldered his pack.

"Master?" Obi-Wan asked. "Is something wrong?"

"No Padawan," Anakin said. "But Master Jinn is correct, it's time we created our training bond. Come."

They found a quiet place to meditate. They knelt facing each other as the freighter went into hyperspace. They leaned forward until their foreheads barely touched and focused within. Strangely enough, the bonding process was easier than either of them expected. The bond Anakin had with his master recognized Obi-Wan and latched onto the boy.

"Is it...supposed to be like that?" Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin frowned and replied, "I'm...not sure. My only reference of a training bond is with my master."  _'I hope I didn't fuck **this** up.'_ Anakin thought to himself before sending, _< Can you hear me Padawan?>_

Obi-Wan focused and sent, _< Yes Master.>_

Anakin smirked, "Don't worry Padawan, you'll get used to it."

* * *

Some time later, when the Monument came out of hyperspace, the freighter suddenly rocked violently. Qui-Gon, Anakin, and Obi-Wan gathered together. Dull thuds could be heard throughout the ship.

"Whoever it is, they're boarding us," Anakin said, recognizing the sounds.

Sounds of battle could be heard from the Offworld portion of the freighter. The ship shuddered and rocked again. The Arconans, at the sounds of battle, retreated to their quarters to wait it out.

"Well, now we know who are the fighters are on this ship," Anakin commented.

"Captain said it was Togorian pirates," Clat'Ha, Arcona Mineral Harvest's chief operations officer, told them as she approached them.

Qui-Gon closed his eyes and focused. "They're coming from the docking bay," he informed them. "Kenobi, head for the ship's bridge. If the crew is incapacitated, pilot us away from the pirates' fleet. Skywalker, we're going to deal with our uninvited guests."

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan said, running towards the bridge.

"I trust you did as I instructed?" Qui-Gon asked, igniting his lightsaber.

"If you're talking about the training bond, then yes," Anakin replied, igniting his own lightsaber.

Qui-Gon grunted and rushed towards the docking bay, Anakin following, and Clat'Ha clutched her heavy blaster pistol and followed after them.

* * *

Obi-Wan entered the bridge and found the most of the crew either dead or unconscious. He checked the systems and found the navigation console disabled. The ship rocked violently again; the pirates were firing upon them. Obi-Wan checked the weapons and discovered the gun turrets were reduced to burning slag, however, the proton torpedo launcher was still operational. He quickly took control of the launcher, aimed it at the Togorian gunships, and fired the proton torpedoes at any gunship in range, crippling them. However, their weapons still fired upon them.

"Okay, time to get us out of here," Obi-Wan muttered to himself.

He gently lay the pilot on the floor before taking their seat. He took hold of the controls and tried to get the ship away, but it looked like they were caught on something.

 _'_ _Probably from the boarding party's ship.'_ Obi-Wan thought to himself.

He checked the console to see if there was a way for him to detach from the boarder's ship, but no such luck. However, from what he could see from the monitors, the force field that would keep the passengers safe from space while the docking bay's door was opened was operational.

"Better than nothing," Obi-Wan commented. "Here goes nothing."

He transferred more power to the thrusters. He kept an eye on the monitors and watched as seals between the two ships start to fail. Suddenly, the seals failed completely, exposing the boarder's ship to the vacuum of space. Obi-Wan shut down the alarms that sounded when the seals failed and remotely closed the bay doors. He surveyed the damage report as he steered the ship away from the pirates' fleet. There was no way they could make it to Bandomeer in this condition. Instead, he looked at nearby planets and found a watery world that was near Bandomeer they could land and make repairs before they continued on.

* * *

Qui-Gon and Anakin fought off the Togorians which boarded them. Anakin had headed towards the Offworld part to help them, while Qui-Gon and Clat'Ha kept to the Arcona part to make sure the pirates wouldn't get past them to the vulnerable Arconans. They staggered as the ship managed to get free of the boarder's ship. A surprise strike from a pirate captain wielding a vibro-ax hit Qui-Gon on his right shoulder. He fell to the floor and the pirate captain stepped on his left arm, pinning him.

"You are a hard man to hunt, Jedi," the pirate captain spat.

"I try," Qui-Gon retorted.

"Goodbye Jedi," the pirate captain sneered as they raised their vibro-ax.

However, before he could attack, Clat'Ha shot the pirate's head off with her pistols. Anakin arrived as Clat'Ha helped Qui-Gon to his feet.

"You alright?" Anakin asked.

"Do I look like I'm alright?" Qui-Gon remarked dryly. "You're finished then?"

"Yes Master," Anakin replied.

"Let's go see what your padawan has done," Qui-Gon said, heading towards the bridge.

They found Obi-Wan as he guided the damaged ship through reentry. Anakin cleared the copilot's seat and sat down to help his padawan safely land.

"Report," Qui-Gon demanded once they were on the ground.

"There's slight damage to the landing gear, engines, and shield generators. The biggest damage is to the rear stabilizers and navigation systems," Obi-Wan reported. "Our gun turrets are useless, but we still have the proton torpedo launcher."

"And the pirates' fleet?" Qui-Gon asked.

"I managed to cripple them with the proton torpedoes," Obi-Wan replied. "I don't believe they'll be able to follow."

"Well done Padawan," Anakin praised.

"Yes, well done," Qui-Gon reluctantly echoed. "You were very brave in protecting the passengers and you were able to deal with the pirates' vessels without giving into your anger."

Obi-Wan grinned at them, then he noticed Qui-Gon's right shoulder. "Master Jinn, you're injured!"

"I'll be fine," Qui-Gon said as he watched the boy rush off to find a medkit. "Does that boy never listen?"

"He's just concerned for your welfare Master Jinn," Anakin defended. "Let him do his work."

Obi-Wan returned with a medkit and gently peeled back the layers to get to the wound itself.

"You're certainly full of surprises," Anakin commented as Obi-Wan tended to Qui-Gon's arm.

"Yes, full of surprises," Qui-Gon commented distractedly. _'It would've been a waste of your talents had you been sent to the Corps.'_

Obi-Wan blushed at the praise he was receiving. "We should see to the passengers. We'll need to work together to get off this planet."

"That slimy Hutt, Jemba, is in charge of the Offworld's Bandomeer operations." Clat'Ha informed them from the doorway. "As much as I hate that bastard, I do agree that we will have to work together. Let's go find him."

They found Jemba the Hutt talking to some of the employees of Arcona Mineral Harvest Corporation.

"What are you doing?" Clat'Ha demanded.

"Merely offering your employees options," Jemba replied smugly. "It's up to them how they want to live."

"We can provide for them better than you ever could," Grelb the Hutt, Jemba's right hand Hutt, added.

Clat'Ha frowned. Si Treemba, an Arconan miner sidled in close to Clat'Ha.

"Our supplies of dactyl is missing," he whispered. "They must've taken it during the fight with the pirates."

Qui-Gon, Anakin, and Obi-Wan overheard the whispered message, but did not react openly.

"You should just give up and serve me," Jemba told them. "It will be most profitable."

"Che," Clat'Ha scoffed. "You barely pay your employees. You pander potential employees with luxuries, but once they sign the contract, you practically enslave them. Return the supplies you stole."

Grelb chortled. "You should've kept a better eye on them then."

"You should give up the dactyl," Qui-Gon said faintly, waving his uninjured arm, unstably calling upon the Force.

"Hah," Jemba laughed. "We acquired those supplies fair and square _Jedi_."

"If you acquired those supplies _fair_ and square, you would've paid for them," Anakin spat and called on the Force. "You _will_ return those supplies."

"Um, Masters," Obi-Wan whispered quietly to Anakin and Qui-Gon. "Hutts are notoriously difficult to manipulate with Force suggestions."

Qui-Gon and Anakin glanced at each other, abashed. They'd forgotten that fact. Oops. Jemba and Grelb laughed and slithered away.

"We have to find the dactyl supplies," Anakin stated.

"Agreed, however, we also need repair the ship," Qui-Gon added.

"I'm a decent mechanic," Anakin said. "And I say we search everywhere on the ship for those supplies. They've got to be here somewhere."

"Now that we've landed, they're likely to move it somewhere else in the event we do search the ship." Obi-Wan pointed out.

A whooshing sounded around them.

"What's that?" Obi-Wan asked, alarmed.

"The coolant must've sprung a leak," Anakin said, frowning. "We'll have to evacuate the ship."

"Very well, I'll track down the supplies, Skywalker will start on the repairs, and Kenobi, you will look after the other passengers," Qui-Gon commanded.

"Yes Master." Anakin and Obi-Wan echoed.

* * *

Qui-Gon found a quiet spot outside to quiet his mind, to sit and meditate. _'Show me. Show me how to help the Arconans.'_

The Force whirled around him and an image formed within his mind. The supplies, the cave, the mountain surrounding the island they've landed on.

 _'Thank you.'_ Qui-Gon sent and opened his eyes. He got up and headed towards the mountain that resembled the one in his vision. He looked up mountain and started to make his way up to find the cave where the supplies were being held. Unbeknownst to him, Grelb had kept an eye on the Jedi master. The Hutt took some of his Whiphid henchmen with him to a good vantage point.

"Kill the Jedi," Grelb ordered. He turned on his communicator and informed Jemba, "The Jedi know where the dactyl are."

The Whiphid took aim at Qui-Gon and fired their blasters. Qui-Gon ducked and dodged the blaster shots, however, the noise attracted the attention of some local animals; draigons. The draigons flew down towards Grelb and the Whiphid. Grelb quickly slithered away, leaving behind the Whiphids to be devoured by the draigons.

Qui-Gon took advantage of this and continued on his way to the caves. He managed to find them before a curious draigon. A flicker of warning in the Force regarding the boy he left behind made the decision for him. Qui-Gon molded the Force around the draigon's mind, forcing it to obey his will. He quickly rode the draigon back to the ship. From the air, he watched Jemba emerge from the caves where the other passengers must be taking refuge after the evacuation, and Grelb approaching from the forest surrounding the ship, blaster in hand. The draigons in the area wandered closer to their ship, snapping their teeth towards the boy, but held back by the lit lightsaber being waved around at them.

"Kenobi!" Qui-Gon shouted.

Obi-Wan looked up and waved at him and shouted back, "The dactyl, save the Arconans!"

Qui-Gon bit his lip.

"Go!" Obi-Wan insisted.

"I will return," Qui-Gon promised and flew the draigon back to the cave where the dactyl was kept. He turned his head back towards the boy as he left and managed to witness Grelb fire upon the boy with a blaster. Luckily Obi-Wan managed to dodge the blast which hit Jemba instead, who was moving with great intent upon the boy. Qui-Gon turned away and focused on his mission, trusting that the boy would survive this day, missing Grelb being devoured by a draigon.

He quickly loaded the draigon up with all the supplies and flew back to the ship. He dropped off the supplies close to the ship and ran the draigon into the others as he jumped off its back to join Obi-Wan on the ground. He wasn't alone either. Several of the Offworld and the Arconan employees had picked up blasters and were joining the fight. The Arconans weren't idle either. Any draigons that managed to enter the caves were met by the Arconans, who were comfortable fighting in their natural environment; dark areas and caves.

The ship suddenly powered on and the proton torpedo launcher swiveled around and fired at the draigons. The draigon shrieked and flew off. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan relaxed and turned off their lightsabers amidst cheers from their fellow fighters. The two Jedi approached the ship as it powered back down and Anakin appeared at the docking bay ramp.

"That was extremely well timed," Qui-Gon praised. "You have the engines fixed I take it?"

"Yes Master," Anakin replied. "I also found the coolant leak and patched that up, along with the shield generators. I figured we should get those up and running first. If we can get the rear stabilizer fixed, we can still pilot out of here manually to Bandomeer without too much trouble if we need to."

The three Jedi turned as Clat'Ha approached them.

"I did a quick count of everyone. I'd say we lost about two hundred Offworld miners and seventy-five Arconans," Clat'Ha reported. "Not to mention Jemba and Grelb are dead as well."

Qui-Gon frowned. "I saw how Jemba died, but how did Grelb die?"

"Eaten Master," Obi-Wan replied.

"And a better fate couldn't have befallen that slug," Clat'Ha spat as she led them back to the caves. "The dactyl?"

"I put them by the ship," Qui-Gon replied.

"So, who's in charge of the Offworld Mining Corporation now?" Anakin asked.

"Aggaba," Clat'Ha replied. "At least, until we reach Bandomeer."

Several employees from both corporations took it upon themselves to tend to the remains of their fellows. Clat'Ha led them to a Hutt, presumably Aggaba.

"Aggaba, I want to hire you and your people," Clat'Ha announced to the Hutt.

Aggaba blinked and asked, "Which ones?"

"All of you," Clat'Ha replied. "You're temporarily the head of these men, until you reach Bandomeer. I'll buy out your contracts."

"How much?" Aggaba asked.

"Twenty thousand credits for every miner's contract, as well as an additional twenty thousand credits as a signing bonus for joining me and the Arcona Mineral Harvest Corporation." Clat'Ha informed Aggaba.

Aggaba thought about it. "Deal, I will join you and let the others know. Whether they will also accept your deal will be up to them."

"Fair," Clat'Ha conceded. "Right now we'll need people to help repair the ship so we can make it to Bandomeer. There's slight damage to the landing gear and major damage to the rear stabilizers and navigation systems."

"I'll talk with the Offworld engineers, they should know how to fix things," Aggaba said, moving away. "Now if you'll excuse me gentlemen, I need to tend to the Arconans."

Qui-Gon regarded Obi-Wan, _'Would you have been sent to Bandomeer with me if Skywalker wasn't so reckless? How much stronger in your understanding of the Force would you grow with proper instruction instead of a new knight?'_

* * *

Soon, the Monument was repaired and the Jedi arrived on Bandomeer. Governor SonTag met them at the landing platform.

"Governor SonTag," Qui-Gon greeted, bowing, with Anakin and Obi-Wan following suit. "I am Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. This is Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, and his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Master Jedi, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?" SonTag asked.

Qui-Gon blinked as Anakin and Obi-Wan shared startled glances. "You sent a request to the Supreme Chancellor for my presence to act as a diplomat for the peace meeting between Offworld Mining Corporation and the Arcona Mineral Harvest Corporation."

SonTag frowned, "I'm afraid you must be mistaken. I sent no such request. Though, your services would certainly be beneficial. Oddly enough, I received a message marked for you."

SonTag handed over a datapad. Qui-Gon opened it and read the message.

> _I have been looking forward to this day._
> 
> _-Xanatos_ (a drawing of the broken circle)

Qui-Gon frowned, concerned.

"Where is Jemba the Hutt? If negotiations are to take place, the Hutt would need to be here," SonTag said.

"I'm afraid Jemba the Hutt died on the way here. We were attacked by pirates and had to land elsewhere for repairs," Anakin informed her, when it was clear that Qui-Gon would not answer her.

"I see," SonTag replied and nodded to an aid off to the side. "I shall have someone contact Offworld Mining Corporation and see to it that they send us a new representative for the negotiations. I admit that I find myself confused as to why the Jedi would send three when someone had requested Master Jinn in my name."

Anakin stepped forward and replied, "The Council thought that my new padawan and I could assist Master Jinn in whatever capacity he deems necessary. It would a great lesson for him to learn from one of the finest negotiators the Jedi have."

"A new padawan hmmm?" SonTag mused. "First time outside of your temple?"

"Yes Governor," Obi-Wan answered with a bow. "I look forward to being of whatever help I can."

A female Meerian approached them.

"Ah, VeerTa, come meet our Jedi," SonTag said. "This is Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, and the knight's padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi. They're to help negotiate with Offworld. Gentlemen, this is VeerTa, leader of the Home Planet Party. They intend to replant fields on this planet and restore Bandomeer to its original beauty."

"An admirable goal," Qui-Gon praised.

"Thank you," VeerTa replied.

"Oh dear! Has the party started without me?" a voice called out.

They turned to watch a dark haired man approach them.

"Xanatos?" Qui-Gon asked, shocked.

"Qui-Gon! My old master, how have you been?" Xanatos asked, clasping Qui-Gon's shoulder. "It's been too long. And who are these?"

"Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi," Anakin introduced with a bow, Obi-Wan bowing in time.

"Padawan huh?" Xanatos said, draping an arm around Obi-Wan's shoulder, pulling him away from Anakin. "And look at the little padawan braid. I remember mine like it was yesterday. Alas, but I fell astray from the teachings of the Jedi, but I found new purpose in my work with Offworld. We should talk more later Kenobi. I want to compare notes to see how things have changed since I've left."

"Please release my padawan," Anakin stated. "I don't want his judgement to be compromised." _'Like hell am I going to let a Fallen Jedi pollute his mind.'_

"Yes, we have business to discuss right now, and it wouldn't do to have one of our mediators unduly influenced by you," Clat'Ha remarked.

"I'm sure the boy has much better things to be doing than to watch a bunch of adults talk shop," Xanatos commented. "He should go see the sights."

"We're here to negotiate. It will be a great learning experience for him to watch the proceedings," Anakin insisted.

"Such a harsh taskmaster," Xanatos said airily, pushing Obi-Wan back to Anakin's side. "But I suppose business must come before pleasure. You will find that I am not like Jemba the Hutt, I desire peace between Offworld and the Arcona Mineral Harvet Corporation. In fact, I propose that ten percent of Offworld's profits be sent for the Bandomeer reclamation effort."

A sudden rumble could be heard and felt.

"What was that?" SonTag asked.

VeerTa's communicator beeped. VeerTa glanced down at the message typed there.

"There was an explosion in the Home Planet Mine," VeerTa reported. She regarded Xanatos suspiciously, "You! You must've done something!"

"I have done no such thing my dear. I know nothing of what has happened," Xanatos proclaimed.

VeerTa lunged at Xanatos, only to be stopped by Qui-Gon.

"Attacking him without proof will do you no good," Qui-Gon reasoned.

"Agreed," SonTag added. "VeerTa, you should go help the miners out of the wreckage. I want a damage report once you're done."

"Of course Governor," VeerTa said, and with a slight bow, left the area to head towards the mine.

"I should go look after my people," Clat'Ha said. SonTag waved her off.

SonTag regarded Obi-Wan and said, "Well little one, enough excitement for you?"

Obi-Wan blinked at her. "It is certainly not something I would've expected the negotiations to have gone," he told her.

SonTag addressed Qui-Gon and Anakin, "The negotiations will have to take place after the investigation into the Home Planet Mine explosion is complete. However, the mines are no place for a child, even a Jedi Padawan."

Qui-Gon glanced at Anakin and said, "I believe the Jedi AgriCorps were doing some research here, in the Eastern Enrichment Zone. Perhaps he could be of some assistance there."

"Yes, they're researching dactyl for the Arconans," Clat'Ha added. "I believe they were hoping to incorporate the crystal into the food supply."

Anakin glanced down at Obi-Wan, who looked at him wide-eyed.

"Don't send me away Master," Obi-Wan whispered, pleadingly.

Anakin bit his lip.

Qui-Gon placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder and hissed into his ear quietly, "He's safer there than with us. Especially if we keep Xanatos around us."

Anakin closed his eyes. "Go to the facility padawan," he said. "I want you to learn about their work and report back to me on their progress."

Obi-Wan looked down. "Yes Master."

Anakin lifted Obi-Wan's chin so they could maintain eye contact. "Patience young one. There will be other opportunities for excitement, I promise. However, what the AgriCorps is doing is very important to the Arconans. It could save thousands of Arconans from being sick."

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan sighed.

One of SonTag's aids led Obi-Wan away towards the Eastern Enrichment Zone. Another aid entered the room with a datapad.

"Governor?" Qui-Gon asked.

"It was a gas explosion in the mines. The damage was quite extensive and the building where I had planned for the negotiations were to be held was destroyed. The azurite that we had accumulated was also destroyed. Fortunately, the loss of life wasn't very high. However, we have no funds to to rebuild; the mine is bankrupt," SonTag explained.

"On behalf of Offworld, I wish to off my condolences for the lives lost in the explosion. I wish to show my sincerity in wanting peace between the two corporations by helping you rebuild the mine. I'll send you credits, droids, and anything else you would need. But perhaps more importantly, with the explosion destroying the mine, the miners who are now unemployed, they can come work at Offworld," Xanatos offered.

"Thank you Xanatos, that is very kind," SonTag said. "We could use the help."

Qui-Gon and Anakin exchanged worried looks.

* * *

Obi-Wan followed the governor's aid to the AgriCorps offices, where he was introduced. Si Treemba, whom he had befriended on the way to Bandomeer, and a male Meerian named RonTha offered to show him around the build. He quickly realized that RonTha was a strict follower of rules and protocol, and believed in doing everything to regulations. But what got RonTha _really_ going was the growth of plants.

 _'Patience,'_ Obi-Wan thought to himself as RonTha droned on and on about one small seed or another. _'This is surely a test in patience. At least Si Treemba's here to keep me company.'_

* * *

Anakin watched, amazed that Offworld was following through on Xanatos' promises.

 _'There's something off about all this,'_ Anakin thought to himself. _'And despite Xanatos' easy nature, there's still something Dark about him. I think he's still very much, a Dark Jedi.'_

Anakin decided to pull Qui-Gon aside.

"I don't like this Master," Anakin said. "I feel there something we're not seeing. There's something about Xanatos I don't trust."

"Perhaps, but he is helping with the relief efforts, so that has to mean something," Qui-Gon offered.

Anakin hummed in thought, "Are you sure it's not your history with him that's clouding your judgement?"

Qui-Gon's face became thunderous. "I suggest you keep such thoughts to yourself," he spat. "If anything, I'm more aware of what he's capable of than you."

Anakin grimaced, "I meant no disrespect, it's just-"

_< Master!>_

Anakin blinked. _< Padawan? What's wrong?>_

 _< There are explosives, thermal detonators, and grenades in a hidden annex of the Enrichment Dome. The containers all carry the logo for Offworld. If what I understand of the rules that RonTha kept reminding me of, that's a violation of AgriCorps rules.>_ Obi-Wan sent.

 _< How did you find it? Does this RonTha know?>_ Anakin sent back.

 _< No Master. We parted ways when he was called back to the administration building. Si Treemba and I found it.>_ Obi-Wan replied. _< It's hidden inside the wall of the dome. If the Force hadn't poked at me, I probably wouldn't have found it.>_

 _< Good job Padawan. I'll let Master Jinn know,>_ Anakin sent. _< And **be careful**. Wouldn't want all your hard work to go to waste right? >_

_< Yes Master.>_

"Something wrong?" Qui-Gon asked, recognizing the look of bond-communication.

"Obi-Wan found explosives and the like hidden inside the wall of the Enrichment Dome," Anakin reported quietly. "Apparently that's a violation to AgriCorps rules. The containers are marked with the Offworld logo."

Qui-Gon sucked in a breath, sharply. Anakin glanced around and found Xanatos missing.

"He's gone," Anakin breathed in horror. "We don't know where he is."

"Contact Kenobi, immediately," Qui-Gon ordered.

 _< Padawan.>_ Anakin sent. _< Padawan?>_

There was no answer.

_< PADAWAN!>_

* * *

"What do we do?" Si Treemba asked worriedly.

"We'll need to find a way to block this off and keep Offworld from destroying the evidence," Obi-Wan replied. "We'll also need to notify the AgriCorps about the situation. You go and do that. I'll stay and keep watch."

"Are you sure?" Si Treemba asked. "It's a little past nightfall, there wouldn't be any people left in the buildings. I believe it's against the rules to be here after hours."

"Yes," Obi-Wan assured. "We need to let people know. The more that know, the harder it will be for them to hide it."

"Stay safe then," Si Treem said leaving, making sure no one noticed his movements.

Obi-Wan turned his attention back to the crates containing the explosives. So intent on trying to figure out how to disable the explosives, he failed to realize that he wasn't alone.

"What a strange little room," a voice sounded from behind him. "What is all this doing here?"

Obi-Wan whirled around. "Xanatos, sir," Obi-Wan stuttered out.

"None of that now, just call me Xan. All my friends call me that." Xanatos said. "So, how long have you been a padawan? The braid tells me it hasn't been long."

"It's my first mission sir," Obi-Wan replied.

"And Knight Skywalker's your master? I don't remember hearing anything about a Skywalker when I was a padawan," Xanatos commented.

"He's from another temple," Obi-Wan replied.

"He seems awfully young to be a master," Xanatos noted.

"I'm his first padawan," Obi-Wan admitted. "He's also only knighted for a few weeks."

"What's a fresh knight doing taking a padawan?" Xanatos questioned.

Obi-Wan flushed and lowered his eyes.

"Ah," Xanatos mused. "You wanted Qui-Gon to be your master, but couldn't, so you settled on the fresh knight."

"He was my last chance to be a knight," Obi-Wan confessed.

Xanatos placed an arm around Obi-Wan's shoulders. "Trust me kid, you wouldn't have made it as Qui-Gon's apprentice. You're too cold and off-putting."

Obi-Wan slumped in on himself.

"Hands on your heads thieves," a voice commanded.

Xanatos and Obi-Wan turned to find five Offworld Security Force members blocking off their exit, blasters pointed at the two of them.

"Hope you know how to fight," Xanatos said, drawing out his lightsaber and igniting it. "It doesn't look like these guys will let us go about our business."

Xanatos attacked the guards while Obi-Wan went on the defensive. Obi-Wan managed to knock out three of the guards when he noticed a guard raise an electrojabber against Xanatos. He rushed towards them to try and block. Unfortunately, as he did so, he felt something jab into his side and shock him. He fell to his knees gasping. A sharp blow to the back of his head made everything fade to black.

* * *

"We have to find him. We have to find him," Anakin chanted in a panic. He grabbed Qui-Gon's tunics and practically shouted into his face, "We have to find _him_!"

"Calm down," Qui-Gon tried to soothe, to no avail. "Who do you want to find?"

"Obi-Wan first, then I'm going to go and _murder_ Xanatos. I know he's behind this somehow," Anakin snarled.

Qui-Gon sighed and said sternly, "Calm down, you'll be of no help to Kenobi like this. He has a comlink right? We can use that to track him down."

Anakin breathed heavily, trying, and failing, to calm down. Qui-Gon rolled his eyes and pulled out his comlink and hooked it up to his datapad. He opened up his less-than-legal program and found the signal for Obi-Wan's comlink to be outside Bandor, to north, somewhere near the northern azurite mining quadrant.

"Let's go brat," Qui-Gon snapped, grabbing Anakin by the scruff of his neck and quickly moving forward.

Anakin stumbled forward and wiggled out of Qui-Gon's grasp. "I can walk!"

"Then follow," Qui-Gon growled.

They quickly rushed towards the northern azurite mining quadrant and sought out the administrative building where the comlink's signal was coming from. It was well past nightfall, so the darkness made searching a lot harder, and there were no one milling about that they could ask. They watched as Xanatos left the administrative building and confronted him.

"Where is my padawan?" Anakin demanded.

"Wasn't he supposed to be at the AgriCorps? Have you looked there?" Xanatos suggested blandly.

"His comlink's signal is coming from here," Anakin snarled. "Where is he? What have you done to him?"

"What makes you think I've done anything to the boy?" Xanatos asked. "I haven't seen him since he left for the Enrichment Dome."

"LIAR!" Anakin roared, rushing towards Xanatos. "I know you're lying! Tell me where he is!"

Xanatos neatly side-stepped Anakin and delivered a resounding kick to Anakin's side, breaking a couple ribs, knocking him to the ground.

"We know what you're up to. We know about the explosives. Your plans for Bandomeer is at its end," Qui-Gon pointed out. "Surrender and come with us quietly. I'd also suggest you tell Anakin where his padawan is, for your own sake."

Xanatos smirked and pulled out his lightsaber. "So sure of your victory are you?"

Qui-Gon calmly replied, "You are a disgrace to that weapon. You don't deserve to carry it."

Xanatos scowled at that, but his expression soon turned mirthful. "This coming from the man who killed my _father_. You are not worthy of being a _Jedi_."

Qui-Gon and Xanatos circled each other as Anakin lay on the ground, recovering.

"Master Yoda warned me that you would fail back on Telos," Qui-Gon told Xanatos.

Xanatos seethed, "What does that old troll know? He doesn't even understand a tenth of true power; the power of the Dark side. Due to the suffering you've caused me, I have far surpassed you."

"That is not power, that's cowardice. I thought I taught you better than to believe that the easy path is the path to greatness," Qui-Gon said.

"You could've been rich beyond your wildest imaginings," Xanatos sneered. "If you had not been made _too good_ by the Jedi teachings. You're _weak_."

"Perhaps, but you will never own Bandomeer," Qui-Gon taunted.

Xanatos charged, igniting his lightsaber, and went for an aggressive strike. Anakin struggled to his feet as he watched Qui-Gon block and parry each and every one of his former padawan's attacks. The two appeared to be evenly matched, but if Anakin could add his blade to this battle without getting himself killed in his weakened state, they'd be able to bring Xanatos down.

Qui-Gon watched Xanatos carefully, he saw that while their time apart had enabled to change his fighting style a bit, the foundations that he had taught Xanatos with were decayed. Soon enough, he saw an opening. Xanatos had misstepped and Qui-Gon took advantage of it, causing a wound on Xanatos' shoulder.

"You think you've gotten stronger, strong enough to defeat me my former padawan. However, you're only deluding yourself," Qui-Gon pointed out.

"Perhaps," Xanatos said, drawing out another lightsaber. This one however, he recognized to be Obi-Wan's lightsaber. "But I will win either way. A pity about the little padawan. He's much too green to be doing missions in the Outer Rim Territories. Did you know that he wanted you to be his master? Such hope that one. It must've been nice to crush it. But then again, you were the only one he could've turned to for a master. The poor Pity Padawan."

Anakin tackled Xanatos, knocking both lightsabers from his hands. Anakin quickly straddled Xanatos, giving him a hard punch to the face.

"Where." Punch.

"Is." Punch.

"My." Punch.

"PADAWAN!" Punch.

Xanatos summoned the Force and pushed Anakin off of him and away. He laughed mockingly, "So much anger! The temple you trained in, and the master who took you in, must've been quite laxed in your training. I'm surprised you even became a knight with that attitude."

"There was nothing wrong with my training," Anakin snarled. "My master was the best. He understood that somethings, aggressive negotiations were needed to get the job done right."

"And yet, while you are engaging in _aggressive negotiations_ with me, your little padawan slips further away from you towards death," Xanatos taunted, backing away towards the lightsabers. "So, what will you do? Deal with me? Or save your precious padawan?"

Anakin gritted his teeth and Qui-Gon suddenly called Obi-Wan's lightsaber to him, gaining Anakin's attention.

"We have to go," Qui-Gon commanded.

"There's two of us, we can take him," Anakin said.

"Now!" Qui-Gon ordered. "Or do you really wish to gamble your padawan's life like this?"

Anakin snarled and grabbed Obi-Wan's lightsaber from Qui-Gon. He headed towards the last known location of his apprentice. Qui-Gon threw Xanatos a dirty look.

"You've only escaped for now," Xanatos said, grinning. "You're only delaying your fate."

Qui-Gon left Xanatos where he lay, following Anakin.

* * *

Anakin entered the Enrichment Dome, looking for the Arconan Si Treemba or the RonTha that Obi-Wan had mentioned. Qui-Gon followed him in.

"Who are we looking for?" Qui-Gon demanded.

"Si Treemba, or a guy named RonTha," Anakin replied. "They were apparently giving him a tour of the place. When RonTha was called away to the administrative building, Si Treemba and Obi-Wan wandered around a bit and found the hidden annex."

They approached the administration building, hoping that someone might point the way. The sun was just rising, but they hoped that someone started early enough to help them. The Force, it seemed, was on their side. They found a male Meerian who turned out to be RonTha.

"Yes, I am RonTha, how may I help you?" RonTha asked.

"Where's Obi-Wan? Where's my padawan?" Anakin asked urgently.

"I have not seen him today," RonTha replied.

"What about last night?" Qui-Gon asked. "Did you see anything suspicious?"

"I wasn't here last night, it's against the rules to be here after hours," RonTha replied.

Qui-Gon narrowed his eyes at the Meerian. He told a lie. "Think carefully now, did you see anything suspicious last night?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about, I wasn't here master Jedi," RonTha insisted.

Anakin growled, he too, sensed the lie.

RonTha gulped and admitted, "Okay, I was here last night. I liked to have fruit from the orchard before bed. I saw a few men carry Kenobi away. I followed them for a bit until they took a boat out. Please don't tell anyone I was here after hours."

Qui-Gon and Anakin exchanged looks.

"I'll forget about that bit if you'd let us take an AgriCorps boat to save him," Qui-Gon offered.

"Deal," RonTha said hurriedly.

"Do you know where Si Treemba is?" Anakin asked.

"I haven't seen him today, but I can call for him," RonTha offered.

"Do it," Anakin stated.

Si Treemba approached them after being called in by RonTha.

"Have you come to deal with the secret annex?" Si Treemba asked. "Where's Kenobi?"

"We were hoping you could tell us," Qui-Gon said, placing a hand on Anakin in an attempt to keep him in check.

"He sent me away to tell the ones in charge about the explosives," Si Treemba said.

"Explosives!" RonTha squeaked.

"Did you see Obi-Wan get kidnapped?" Anakin demanded.

"He was kidnapped?" Si Treemba asked, shocked. "How did that happen?"

"Only he can answer that," Qui-Gon replied. "However, RonTha here witnessed a few men carry him off to a boat."

"Xanatos also hinted that time was of the essence," Anakin stated with a frown.

Si Treemba frowned as well. "The only thing that's out that way would be the Offworld Deep Sea Mining Platforms. Unless they took him along the coast."

"I feel that the deep sea mining platforms is where we should focus on," Anakin stated.

"I agree," Qui-Gon said.

Together, Qui-Gon and Anakin headed out to the offshort mine.

* * *

Obi-Wan awoke to pain searing through him.

"Get to work newbie," an Imbat grunted prodding him with a stunstick.

"Lay off of him," a voice sounded. "You know how disorienting a mind-wipe is."

A male Phindian held out a hand to Obi-Wan to help him up off the floor. "My name's Guerra Derida, I'm supposed to help you settle into the work."

"I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi," Obi-Wan said, staring warily at the Imbat.

"They and the electro-collar around your neck are designed to keep you here and focused on work. We look for ionite under the ocean floor," Guerra said, pulling Obi-Wan away from the Imbat. Obi-Wan spent the next few hours helping Guerra with his work, quietly talking to the Phindian.

"This isn't right, we should be free to leave," Obi-Wan said softly.

"Get used to this kid, you're a slave now," Guerra said.

"Can't we revolt or something?" Obi-Wan asked. "We should be free to choose who we work for."

"You're idealistic, you know that right?" Guerra said. "Have you forgotten about that collar around your neck. Even if we managed to beat back every one of those Imbats, that collar would show you who's boss, permanently."

"But surely there's a way to disable them," Obi-Wan protested. "There has to be."

Guerra glanced around, making sure they weren't overheard. "Considering how non-intelligent the Imbats are, the higher-ups don't let them have the controls for the collars. From what I understand, the controllers are on land. But we can't get there. One step off these platforms and the bosses'll know, then boom. One dead slave."

"Is there anything around here that we can use to disable the collars?" Obi-Wan asked. "Maybe we could build something."

"I'm no mechanic, none of us here are," Guerra said. "Unless you magically remember your past and was an engineer or something."

Obi-Wan frowned. "No, not really. I'm a Jedi Padawan. I just like to tinker, but I'm not too sure what goes into the make of the collars. I don't want to accidentally blow someone up."

"Yeah, that'd be bad. Wait a minute, you remember? After a mind wipe?" Guerra asked.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I've been told I'm a stubborn brat."

Guerra laughed quietly, careful not to draw any attention to them. Obi-Wan nodded to the crates bearing the Offworld logo in the explosives room of the facility.

"Do you think we might find anything in there that we might use?" Obi-Wan asked.

Guerra shrugged. "Who knows," he said.

"We should at least check them out, we might find something useful," Obi-Wan protested.

"Fine," Guerra mumbled. "Lunch distribution should be soon, we can go then while the Imbats are busy feeding everyone."

They waited until the Imbat guards were busy tossing rations at the other slaves to sneak into the explosives room. Obi-Wan went in first, unbeknownst to him, tripping the silent alarm. Guerra noticed the Imbat guards heading their way.

"Oi! There's someone in the explosives room. I think they're up to no good," Guerra called out.

The Imbat guards pushed past Guerra and grabbed Obi-Wan before he could lift up the lids to the crates. Obi-Wan struggled against their grip.

"Stupid boy shouldn't be in places where they aren't wanted," a guard said.

"Perhaps we should just toss him into the ocean," another guard added. "A scrawny thing like him wouldn't get much work done."

With the guards focused on Obi-Wan, none of them noticed Guerra take a spun carbon tarp from the supplies. Guerra could faintly hear a boat approaching the platform. Guerra hoped that it was a Jedi coming on that boat, because if there's one thing he knows, it's that where there's a padawan, a master's usually not far away. And if it was a Jedi, then he might have a fighting chance at freeing everyone on the platform from forced servitude. Guerra took the tarp and snuck over to the support struts of the platform and positioned the tarp securely.

* * *

The Imbat guards pushed Obi-Wan over to the edge. Anakin, at the wheel of the boat, noticed Obi-Wan getting pushed around.

"Master Jinn," Anakin started.

"I see him," Qui-Gon said. "Focus on where you are now. We need to position ourselves so that those guards can't see us. If we reveal ourselves, it could endanger Kenobi."

Anakin swerved the craft into the guards' blind spot and they noticed a tarp carefully place. Anakin maneuvered them closer to the support struts.

"Keep the boat steady," Qui-Gon commanded as they saw Obi-Wan being tossed over the edge.

Anakin kept the boat as steady as he could as Qui-Gon called on the Force to pull Obi-Wan onto the tarp. Whoever put the tarp down pulled Obi-Wan up to safety. Qui-Gon jumped up from the boat onto the support struts, following where Obi-Wan had been pulled to. Anakin tied the boat down to a discrete place and followed. They found Obi-Wan with a Phindian. Anakin seethed at the sight of a electro-collar around Obi-Wan's neck. Qui-Gon however, took it all in stride, and used the Force to deactivate the collar. Anakin blinked in shock. That thought never occured to him before. He watched as Qui-Gon moved to do the same for the Phindian's collar, but they were interrupted by blaster fire. Qui-Gon and Anakin ignited their lightsabers to deflect the oncoming blasts.

"Go," the Phindian urged Obi-Wan. "You've got a chance to be free. Take it."

"But what about you and the other people here?" Obi-Wan asked.

"We'll survive," the Phindian reassured. "But you don't have your collar anymore; you're free."

"I promise you, I will find a way to shut down those collars once I reach land," Obi-Wan promised.

"I'll hold you to that kid," the Phindian said. "Now go!"

Obi-Wan darted towards Anakin. The Phindian turned and hid in the explosives room. Qui-Gon and Anakin darted back to their boat, Obi-Wan dutifully following. Together, they took the boat back to shore.

"I don't like leaving them like this," Obi-Wan said to Anakin. "I wish I could've done more to help them."

"I understand you said something about finding a way to shut down those collars once you returned to the continent?" Qui-Gon asked.

Obi-Wan nodded. "The platforms only had the slaves and the Imbat guards. Guerra figured that the people in charge wouldn't want an Imbat to have control over the collars, so the controllers must be on land."

"You're alright then?" Anakin asked, concerned.

"Yes," Obi-Wan replied. "Thank you for coming for me. Did you find the secret annex to the Enrichment Dome?"

"We were more concerned about you," Qui-Gon said. "But we left those matters to Si Treemba and RonTha, as well as the AgriCorps' operations manager and the governor."

"How did you get kidnapped?" Anakin asked handing Obi-Wan his lightsaber. "What happened?"

"After I sent Si Treemba to tell people about the annex, Xanatos came in. We talked for a bit, then some guards came in thinking we were thieves. Xanatos started fighting them and then they started attacking me. I defended myself until I saw one guard go after Xanatos with an electrojabber. I rushed to stop him, but I got shocked and then something hit me and I blacked out." Obi-Wan reported. "I'm sorry Master, for letting my emotions control me."

"As long as you are aware, there's no harm, this time at least," Anakin said. "However, you should be more mindful in the future."

"Yes Master." Obi-Wan said. "What are we going to do now? I promised Guerra to deactivate those collars, but I don't know what the controllers look like."

Anakin sighed. "I know what they look like. I even have a fair idea where they might be stored. But we should also do something about Xanatos. We can't let him get away."

"Skywalker, you deal with the collar controls. Kenobi and I will deal with Xanatos." Qui-Gon said.

"Yes Master," Anakin said as he directed the boat towards the Bandor harbor.

* * *

Qui-Gon deactivated the transmitter in the Offworld loading dock on Bandor's harbor. He wanted Xanatos to know he was there, to lure him out. Anakin snuck off in search of the collar's controls. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan found an Offworld landspeeder and got on it. They headed towards the outskirts of Bandor, not wanting to pull anyone else into the conflict with Xanatos.

A speeder bikes' laser cannon fired upon them. Qui-Gon swerved the vehicle about, avoiding the blasts. A speeder bike pulled up behind them. It was Xanatos. They were quickly approaching the Home Planet Mine, since the repairs weren't finished, there were no one about to get hurt. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan jumped from their speeder. Qui-Gon turned, ignited his lightsaber and struck at the approaching Xanatos. Xanatos narrowly missed the fatal blow, but managed to wound Qui-Gon in turn.

"Into the mines," Qui-Gon called to Obi-Wan.

They ran into the mines. Xanatos dismounted and followed them.

"Looks like we're in Core 6," Qui-Gon informed Obi-Wan. "VeerTa told me that the north turbolift will lead us to Core 5. We'll be able to surprise Xanatos or escape the mines."

"How about neither of those options Master," Xanatos said, blocking their path. "You never could do anything right."

"That's only what you delude yourself with," Qui-Gon said, raising his lightsaber.

"Pathetic old man. At least the knight had fire, this one's so naive and clumsy," Xanatos taunted as he ignited his lightsaber.

Obi-Wan swiftly vaulted over Xanatos, ignited his lightsaber, and wounded Xanatos' hand that held the lightsaber.

"Insolent brat," Xanatos snarled.

The three of them started to duel, but not long after it started, Xanatos turned an fled through the north turbolift to Core 5. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan followed, only to be surprised to find the way back blocked and the lights flickering off.

"Stay on guard young one," Qui-Gon advised. "He'll be striking from the darkness. Trust in the Force to guide you to victory."

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan said.

"'Yes Master'," Xanatos mimicked. "How pathetic of you Master, teaching another Jedi's padawan. Perhaps you should've claimed him like Kenobi wanted you to. But alas, it's far too late for misgivings. You will die right here, right now."

Xanatos started darting in from the darkness, striking fiercely before retreating back into it. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood back to back, defending themselves and each other. A tentative bond started forming between them. Their moves started to sync up. If one could not defend himself, the other was there to do so instead. By doing so, they managed to withstand Xanatos' onslaught. Xanatos was slowly being backed into a corner. He hastily struck a portion of the wall to reveal a hidden turbolift behind him. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan rushed forward, but the door closed before they could reach it.

"This mine shall be your tomb Master. There are gases mixed in there to disguise the bombs," Xanatos taunted from behind the transparisteel. "I hope you will die a painful death. It's what you deserve. You, and this world. If I can't have it, no one can."

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan could hear the lift ascend.

"We can't let the bombs go off," Obi-Wan said. "There must be a way to disable them."

"Let's see what we're dealing with then," Qui-Gon said, inspecting a bomb. "Ah, I see. He set them on a timer, let me show you how to deactivate them."

Obi-Wan studied how Qui-Gon deactivated a bomb. Under Qui-Gon's careful watch, Obi-Wan deactivated his first bomb. Satisfied, Qui-Gon let Obi-Wan help him deactivate all the bombs that were in there with them.

"What about the other bombs. Surely they would need to be deactivated too," Obi-Wan said.

Qui-Gon nodded. "They do, however, I doubt they're activated. Had these gone off, it would have caused a chain reaction, destabilizing the entire planet. However, when activate they are easy to spot. I doubt he activated any other bombs. He wanted me here; to die in his trap."

"I'm glad you didn't die Master," Obi-Wan said.

Qui-Gon ruffled Obi-Wan's hair. "You have a good heart Padawan Kenobi, let no one take that from you, least of all me. Now, let's see if we can't get out of here. I'm sure your master is worried."

Obi-Wan nodded and together they searched for a way to get back out.

_< Where are you Padawan?>_

_< Master! Master Jinn and I are stuck in Core 5 in the Home Planet Mine.>_ Obi-Wan sent. _< I think we've managed to open the way back into Core 6.>_

 _< Very well, I'll meet you at the entrance.>_ Anakin sent.

"Master is going to meet us at the entrance to Core 6," Obi-Wan informed Qui-Gon.

"Excellent. I've almost got the way clear," Qui-Gon said, pushing aside the panel.

They eventually made their way back to the entrance to Core 6. They saw Anakin waiting for them.

"There you two are, I was starting to worry," Anakin said. "Are you both alright?"

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan said.

"Was your part successful?" Qui-Gon asked, brushing aside the question regarding his health.

"Yes, I got all the collars deactivated. Last I saw on the monitors, your Phindian friend managed to start a revolt on those platforms," Anakin said to Obi-Wan. "And it looked like they were winning."

Obi-Wan grinned, pleased with himself and Guerra.

"Let's get back to Bandor, I'm sure the governor would like and update on what's happened." Qui-Gon said.

The three of them shared the speeder Anakin took and returned to the governor's residence. Qui-Gon gave the report to SonTag on what happened with Xanatos. Unfortunately, they found out that Xanatos had left the planet already.

"Go, eat, rest," SonTag said. "You've done enough."

Qui-Gon, Anakin and Obi-Wan bowed to SonTag and went to their assigned rooms. Anakin and Obi-Wan rushed into Qui-Gon's rooms when they felt his astonishment in the Force.

"What's wrong Master?" Anakin asked.

Qui-Gon held a note in one hand and a vibro-shiv in another by his sleep-couch.

"Master?" Anakin asked again.

"Xanatos left me a message it seemed," Qui-Gon replied faintly. "It seems he'll continue being a pest."

Anakin frowned, noting the slit in Qui-Gon's sleep-couch. He approached the older man and read the note over his shoulder.

> _If you are reading this, I suppose I underestimated you. I won't next time. I enjoyed our adventure together, Master. I am certain you will have the pleasure of meeting me again._
> 
> _-Xanatos_

"Well, I'm sure you'll be well prepared for your next encounter with him," Anakin commented.

"Yes, I'm sure," Qui-Gon murmured.

* * *

With the Offworld Mining Corporation left in disarray with Xanatos' disappearance, Offworld employees heard of Clat'Ha's offer during her trip to Bandomeer. Many of them joined up with her. Clat'Ha stayed on Bandomeer, overseeing operations for both groups.

Governor SonTag made sure that the bombs distributed throughout the various mines on Bandomeer were safely deactivated. Unfortunately, she learned that the reason Xanatos was capable of doing all these things was because of VeerTa. It was discovered that after the initial gas explosion in the Home Planet Mine, they discovered a rich vein of ionite. VeerTa, in her greed, had diverted repair funds to mine it, even going so far as to allow Xanatos control over the Home Planet Mine. Xanatos also tricked her into placing the bombs all over Bandomeer. With a heavy heart SonTag arrested VeerTa for her part in all that had happened.

Qui-Gon made the report to the Council while Anakin and Obi-Wan rested. Yoda looked particulary pleased at the praise Qui-Gon leveled upon Obi-Wan.

"A good match, the two of you would have made," Yoda said.

"I am beginning to see that Master," Qui-Gon said. "But our mission here is over. I doubt we'll see each other again."

Yoda cackled. "Never intended, we did, for such a harsh first mission, for young Kenobi. To Gala, the three of you will go, to oversee their first elections, you will. A much gentler mission, this would be, hmmm?"

Qui-Gon sighed. "Three Jedi to oversee elections? Really Master? Isn't that a bit overkill?"

"Think of it as a working vacation," Adi said. "You can explain that to the Knight and Padawan right?"

"Yes Masters," Qui-Gon grumbled.

"The transport should arrive in a few days. May the Force be with you." Mace said, disconnecting the communication.

And so, Qui-Gon, Anakin, and Obi-Wan found themselves on a transport to Gala. Obi-Wan was surprised to find their pilot to be a Phindian who resembled Guerra identically, thought he did insist that they call him 'Pilot'.

"Padawan Kenobi," Qui-Gon called out, drawing Obi-Wan's attention.

"Yes Master?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I believe it's your birthday today," Qui-Gon said, handing something over to Obi-Wan. "Happy birthday Padawan."

"Thank you Master," Obi-Wan said, looking down at the item. "What is it?"

"It's a rock," Qui-Gon said wryly.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, "I know _that_. It's very pretty all the same."

Qui-Gon smiled fondly. "It's a river stone from my homeworld, taken from the River of Light."

Obi-Wan stared down at the rock in awe. It was smooth and black in color, and when light shone on it, red veins were revealed.

"It's your birthday? I didn't know or I would've gotten you something, I swear," Anakin panicked.

Obi-Wan laughed and replied, "It's fine Master. You're here, that's what matters."

Qui-Gon watched as Obi-Wan leaned up against Anakin, showing him the rock, marvelling at it together. _'Would I feel so alone, if I had allowed you in? Let you become my Padawan Learner? I'm sure Knight Skywalker will do a wonderful job teaching you.'_ Qui-Gon thought to himself. He considered that last train of thought. _'On second thought, I think I'd better stick around to make sure he doesn't blow you up accidentally.'_

 

To be continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *collapses* How was that anachronism? *wink*
> 
> Now that the missions have started, the chapters will probably be longer to cover everything I want done in a mission (or me finding as much information online about certain missions I want covered), so don't expect daily chapters.
> 
> I'll probably want a break between chapters too.


	8. Phindar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little detour from the trip to Gala.

Anakin approached Obi-Wan, who was still staring in wonder at his new rock.

"Hey there Padawan," Anakin said, sitting down beside Obi-Wan.

"Hello Master," Obi-Wan replied. "Thank you for helping me help those people on the deep sea mining platforms. I don't know if I could've done much to help them."

Anakin put an arm around Obi-Wan, letting him lean up against his side. "I'm sure you would've found a way. My old master used to tell me, 'Where there's a will, there's a way'."

"Your master sounds very wise," Obi-Wan commented. "Do I know them? Have they been to the Coruscant Temple?"

Anakin smiled, lost in memory, "He's one of the wisest men I know." _'And I am soooooo not telling him who my master is exactly. I mean, if I can keep my marriage a secret, I can keep this from him without screwing up right?'_

"I want to talk to you about Bandomeer. About what you thought about that mission," Anakin said.

"About what I thought, Master?" Obi-Wan asked. "I don't understand."

"That wasn't the kind of mission I would've wanted for our first mission together. Especially what happened to you," Anakin said, tracing a finger at Obi-Wan's throat, where the collar had been.

"Maybe," Obi-Wan said, a hand to his own throat as well. "But I'm glad. I'm glad to know what sorts of horrors lay waiting out in the galaxy. To know what it is that needs to be stopped. I only wish I could've done more."

Anakin placed his hands on Obi-Wan's shoulders. "You've done more than I would've imagined. I'm proud of you. I just don't want to ever leave you in a situation like that again."

Obi-Wan gave him a tentative smile. "But you didn't Master; you came back for me."

"I did, and I always will, but I do want to know if anything else happened to you while you were on that mining platform," Anakin insisted.

Obi-Wan frowned. "Well, Guerra did say that I got my mind-wiped, but I didn't feel any different. Are Jedi immune to mind-wipes? I thought at the time that I was just too stubborn to have memories removed."

"Mind-wiped?" Anakin squeaked. "Uh, not that I know of. But I'm sure Master Jinn could tell us more." _'Shitshitshitshitshit!'_

They went and found Qui-Gon reading on his datapad. He listened to them ask about mind-wipes.

"No little one, Jedi are susceptible to mind-wipes as well. Force techniques can enable us to possibly recover wiped memories, but they are wiped all the same," Qui-Gon informed them.

"Can you sense if a mind-wipe had been done?" Anakin asked.

"With your permission?" Qui-Gon asked Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan nodded and Qui-Gon placed a hand over Obi-Wan's face, not touching, but hovering. Obi-Wan felt tendrils gently nudge into his mind. The tendril wasn't so much as looking for any thoughts, if they had been, Obi-Wan would've used everything he had to push them out. Instead, they were simply inspecting for damage, so Obi-Wan let them be. He felt Anakin's interest in the proceedings through their training bond. Likely his master was observing everything through the bond.

Eventually, Qui-Gon pulled out of Obi-Wan's mind and said, "I can't find any damage done that would signify a mind-wipe. The Jedi mind healers might be able to tell better, but from what I can see, you weren't wiped at all. Whoever told you that you got a mind-wipe either lied or didn't know that you didn't get one."

Anakin gave a sigh of relief and pulled Obi-Wan into a hug. Obi-Wan just blinked up at his master, confused at all this affection he was receiving from him. The three of them could feel the ship stutter. They approached the pilot to see if there was something wrong.

Pilot smiled sheepishly at them. "We're nearly out of fuel sir Jedi," Pilot said. "We'll need to stop somewhere to refuel, I suggest Phindar. It's the closest by far."

Qui-Gon frowned, "Why wasn't this ship refueled before leaving Bandomeer?"

Pilot shrugged, "It slipped my mind."

Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin and sent, _< I don't think he's telling us the truth for some reason Master.>_

Anakin glanced over at Obi-Wan and replied, _< I agree. I checked the pumps myself before we left. They were filled. Now they're not, we should find out why. See if you can't find out what happened from the computers while Master Jinn and I engage the pilot in conversation.>_

_< Yes Master.>_

Obi-Wan unobtrusively drifted to a console to access the fuel logs while Anakin moved closer to Qui-Gon to better hide his padawan's actions from their pilot.

"It's not very professional to take off without checking your fuel gauges," Anakin commented, crossing his arms. "How did you get a Jedi contract by being so sloppy?"

"Look sir Jedi," Pilot protested. "I've just been a little stressed, is all. So I forgot, so what?"

_< He dumped the fuel Master,>_ Obi-Wan reported.

Anakin narrowed his eyes at their pilot, "You dumped the fuel, why?"

"Because we need your help," a voice said from the doorway.

They looked over to see someone nearly identical to their pilot.

"Guerra?" Obi-Wan asked. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you back on Bandomeer?"

"You said it yourself, we should be free to leave right? Well, I decided to hitch a ride out." Guerra replied.

"You mean, you stowed away," Anakin corrected.

Guerra shrugged, "Tomato, Tomahto."

"But why this ship?" Obi-Wan asked.

"It's my brother's ship," Guerra replied.

"Brother?" Obi-Wan asked, looking over at Pilot.

"What, you thought all Phindians look alike?" Guerra scoffed. "What kind of name is 'Pilot' anyway you nerf-herder?"

"You know I don't like to work under pressure," 'Pilot' retorted. "The name's Paxxi Derida. So what now sir Jedi?"

Qui-Gon crossed his arms over his chest and asked, "Where were you intending to take us? Kidnapping Jedi is unwise."

"You said you wanted our help? Why didn't you just petition the senate for Jedi aid?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Che," Guerra snorted. "As if the senate would allow for such things. They'd see us in the wrong or simply ignore us. Either way, my people would be kriffed."

"And what of Gala? Our mission was supposed to send us there, what if by delaying us, you hurt the people there?" Anakin asked. "Did you not consider that?"

"You help us take down the Syndicat and free Phindar, then we can get you on your way to Gala," Paxxi said. "Surely with the three of you, I'm sure you can find a speedy resolution, in time to reach Gala."

"Either way, Phindar is the closest planet where we can refuel," Guerra said. "Your choice, sir Jedi."

"Some choice," Anakin muttered to himself.

"Pray that we resolve this quickly," Qui-Gon said sternly. "Otherwise, you will find that even Jedi have a limit on their patience."

"So what do we need to know?" Anakin asked, frowning.

"The Syndicat is a criminal organization that control Phindar," Guerra explained. "Any Phindians that object to their rule, get memories wiped, or 'renewed' as they call it."

"And the leader of the Syndicat?" Qui-Gon inquired.

"A Phindian named Baftu," Paxxi spat out.

"There's something else," Obi-Wan stated. "What is it?"

"It's nothing," Paxxi muttered and turned away. "I've got to get this ship landed on Phindar so we can do this and get you back on your way as soon as possible."

Obi-Wan frowned. Guerra placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Come, I'll explain a few more things while he gets us there in one piece," Guerra informed them.

They settled down, as far from the cockpit as possible.

"So, what's the big deal?" Anakin asked.

"Our sister, Terra, had her mind wiped at age eleven. From what the sparse messages from our parents, she's a member of the Syndicat," Guerra confessed.

"It must be hard, seeing family like that," Anakin said compassionately.

"Yes," Guerra said. "But the Syndicat must fall if my people are to live freely and without fear."

"Even if it means that you're going up against your own family?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Surely you Jedi understand that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few," Guerra stated. "It is better to think of her as already dead."

Obi-Wan reached out and took hold of Guerra's hand, squeezing it in comfort.

* * *

They landed on the platform with little trouble. They even managed to get to the rebel base without much attention.

"What's the situation since we last were here Kaadi?" Paxxi asked.

"Not good. Our supply of bacta has disappeared. None can be found anywhere. Anyone who had any were forced to give it to the Syndicat," Kaadi reported.

"Kaadi's a good friend of ours. She kept an eye on things while Paxxi and I wandered the galaxy for help," Guerra explained to the Jedi.

"And these two and a kid were all you were able to find?" Kaadi teased.

"These three are Jedi," Guerra replied. "Try not to underestimate them."

"Why would the Syndicat be stockpiling bacta? Are they expecting war or something?" Anakin asked.

"The only war that's coming is the revolution we're bringing," Paxxi stated.

"And your people? They're willing to fight for their freedom?" Qui-Gon asked.

"As you know, Phindians aren't reknown for our courage; we're hesitant to risk our lives, even for our freedom," Paxxi explained. "However, I'm sure once we figure out what the Syndicat are after, they'll be willing to join in the fight."

"So we need information," Anakin summarized.

"Do you have anyone on the inside that we can trust to find that information?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Our mother, Duenna. She lives in the Syndicat headquarters, looking after our dear sister," Paxxi informed them. "But I would rather not have her risk too much, if it's all the same to you sir Jedi."

"If I can get access to a console, I could probably find the proof," Obi-Wan volunteered.

_'What I wouldn't give for R2 right about now,'_ Anakin thought to himself. _'That way I wouldn't have to send Obi-Wan off into a dangerous situation. I have a bad feeling abut all this.'_

"You'll probably find the information on Baftu's console," Guerra informed Obi-Wan. "He'll have everything documented."

"We'll have to create a diversion to give you a chance to get that information," Qui-Gon said. "What are our options to keep Baftu's attention on us?"

"There's a warehouse that they're storing all the bacta, we can break into that," Kaadi said.

"A decent enough target," Anakin said. "Especially if we can take back those supplies."

"Unfortunately, Baftu likely wouldn't leave the headquarters," Paxxi pointed out. "A good secondary console would be whoever is his second in command. Likely Baftu would've made his plans known to them."

Kaadi looked down and stated, "That would be Terra."

"What?" Guerra and Paxxi asked, shocked.

"Baftu made her his assistant," Kaadi said. "Since her wipe, she doesn't remember any of us and she's gotten cold and cruel. Try to avoid her."

Obi-Wan nodded and Anakin couldn't help but feel extra uneasy about letting Obi-Wan go. _'Definitely a bad feeling about all this,'_ he thought.

* * *

Obi-Wan followed Duenna through the hallways of the Syndicat headquarters that night. She led him to Terra's office, unseen by any of the late-night wanderers.

"My daughter's gone for the night, so you should be able to do what you need to do," Duenna said quietly. "I'll try to make sure she doesn't come back unexpectedly, but there's no guarantee that she wouldn't pop by, so be careful."

"I'll try my best to be in and out before she knows I was here," Obi-Wan reassured.

"Good luck," Duenna said, leaving Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan gently popped the lock on the door and entered the office carefully, not wanting to encounter surprise traps for intruders. Finding none, he closed the door and locked it from the inside. He carefully maneuvered himself over to the console and spliced his way in. He looked up all communication between Terra and Baftu and started reading.

_< Master, I think we're going to have problems once we get to Gala,>_ Obi-Wan sent to Anakin.

_< Why do you say that?>_ Anakin asked.

_< There's a message from Baftu to Terra, telling her to cooperate with a Prince Beju of Gala,>_ Obi-Wan informed Anakin. _< It seems that the Syndicat was supposed to supply this Prince Beju some bacta for the people of Gala, so that the prince would look like a hero in the eyes of his people. In return, the Syndicat will be repaid well. By the looks of things, the Syndicat has enough to send to Prince Beju and the prince has sent a ship scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning to pick up the bacta and transfer the remaining funds. The prince had sent a deposit already.>_

_< I'll let Master Jinn know, get yourself out of there,>_ Anakin ordered. _< Stay safe little one.>_

_< Yes Master.>_ Obi-Wan replied.

Obi-Wan carefully put everything back to how he found it. However, just as he reached for the door, it opened to a female Phindian.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" she purred, a cruel smile on her face.

"Uh, well, I, uh," Obi-Wan sputtered, backing away.

"Baftu, we've got a little Jedi sneaking about," she said into a communicator.

"Wipe him Terra," Baftu commanded. "Make sure he doesn't remember anything. Who knows, it might be beneficial to have a Jedi under our control."

Terra gestured and several Syndicat guards entered the office and surrounded Obi-Wan. They rushed to grab at him, but Obi-Wan gracefully dodged their attempts. He tried to rush past Terra, who was standing in the doorway, but as he passed by her, she turned and jabbed a stunner into his side.

_< Master!>_ Obi-Wan sent in a panic as his world faded to black.

* * *

Anakin jerked his head at Obi-Wan's panicked shout.

"Something wrong?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Something's happened to Obi-Wan," Anakin said.

Qui-Gon stared at Anakin and said blandly, "I trust we will not have a repeat of what happened on Bandomeer? You need to have a level head about you if you want to save him."

Anakin gritted his teeth and growled out, "I'll be fine, but I make no promises the longer he is in enemy hands."

* * *

Obi-Wan awoke to find himself strapped down with nodes attached to his head. He struggled against his bonds, trying to see if he could free himself.

"I would stop struggling if I were you," Terra said with a sneer on her face. "Struggling will only make it worse. Then again, go ahead and struggle. I could use some amusement."

"Why? Why would you subject someone else to the same procedure that happened to you?" Obi-Wan protested.

"Only those who oppose the Syndicat get 'renewed'. I assure you, I've always been loyal to them, thus, I've never been subjected to a 'renewal'," Terra stated.

"You're wrong," Obi-Wan said. "You were wiped at age eleven. Do you remember anything before that time? Your parents? Your siblings? Your friends? You have people that miss you, that love you, that want you to come home. Please!"

Terra smirked, amused. "All I need is the Syndicat. Everything else doesn't matter, and thus, doesn't deserve to be remembered." Terra approached the control console. "Now, be a dear and scream for me."

She pressed a button, starting the process. Obi-Wan felt a harsh pressure within his mind, pressing down on all that he was. He clenched his teeth together, determined not to give her any satisfaction. He pulled at his bonds, struggling against the pain that was starting to build up behind his eyes. The machine was tearing at him, shredding everything it sunk its claws into.

_'No.'_

The pain was starting to drift down his bond with his master.

_'No.'_

The pain was even starting to drift down a second bond. To whom _that_ bond belongs to, he did not know.

_'No!'_

Obi-Wan felt his memories fade under the onslaught. He refused to let these precious memories go. He reached out to the Force, trying to wrap as many of his memories up within its embrace, pushing them deeper in his mind, away from the claws of the machine, away from him if need be. Terra pressed another button and Obi-Wan finally screamed as the machine went deeper. He urgently pushed his memories away and slid into unconsciousness.

"You're a resilient brat, I'll give you that," Terra praised the unconscious Obi-Wan. "However, resistance is futile to the will of the Syndicat. Duenna!"

Duenna slowly entered the the room.

"Make sure Baftu's new pet Jedi doesn't die before he can enjoy the fruits of his labors," Terra commanded.

"As you wish," Duenna replied with a bow.

Terra strolled out, leaving Duenna alone with Obi-Wan. Without a doubt they'll be guards posted outside, but for the time being, they were alone. Duenna quickly pulled out a communicator.

"My sons?" Duenna asked.

"Mother? What's wrong?" Guerra asked.

"The Jedi-boy," Duenna said, with a slight pause. "He's been 'renewed'."

* * *

Duenna's words from Guerra's communicator struck Anakin hard in the gut. He collapsed to his knees, shaking. He had felt a bit of pain from his bond to Obi-Wan, so he knew bad something had happened to him. However, he had assumed that his captors were simply torturing him for information; he didn't expect this. Qui-Gon placed a hand firmly on Anakin's shoulder.

"We have to rescue him," Anakin stated.

"We need a plan," Qui-Gon insisted. "Our attempt on the warehouse that stored the bacta failed. Considering that the transaction was going to take place tomorrow morning, that should've been expected."

"I can't believe someone from Gala would do this," Anakin muttered.

"If your people saw the transaction take place, would they move to fight?" Qui-Gon asked.

"If what you say is true about what the bacta will be used for," Paxxi considered. "Then yes, it's very likely. For our bacta to be taken from us and sold for a profit that benefits only the Syndicat, they will fight."

"Then we have to make sure they see the exchange," Qui-Gon stated, determined.

"And Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked shakily.

"We'll find a way to free him, I promise," Qui-Gon said.

* * *

Obi-Wan slowly opened his eyes. He saw a female Phindian leaning over him.

"Who?" Obi-Wan whispered hoarsely.

"Here, drink," the Phindian said, placing a straw in his mouth.

He slowly took small sips of the water.

"Do you remember who I am?" the Phindian gently asked.

Obi-Wan shook his head. He tried to get up but found himself strapped down. The female Phindian quickly undid the straps and he sat up. His mind was fuzzy. He felt that there was much to be done, but couldn't quite remember what. He felt something shift in his tunics. He reached inside and found a rock. It was a pretty rock to be sure and it glowed as he shifted it in the light, but Obi-Wan felt that it was important, somehow, to him.

> _"Happy birthday Padawan."_

Obi-Wan shook his head, trying to dissipate the sudden headache.

> _"You've done more than I would've imagined. I'm proud of you."_

Obi-Wan grabbed at his head.

> _"...you fought with much anger, perhaps you would be better off not being trained."_

Obi-Wan flinched, curling up his body inwards, rocking himself slightly. He felt the unknown female Phindian try to comfort him, but it didn't help his inner turmoil.

> _"Initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi, would you do me the honor of becoming my Padawan Learner?"_

"Master," Obi-Wan whispered as more and more of his memories returned. _< Master.>_

* * *

Anakin perked up. Qui-Gon glanced over.

"What's wrong this time?" Qui-Gon asked wearily.

"Obi-Wan, I can sense his pain a little, but it's fading. He reached out to me, just for a moment," Anakin replied.

Qui-Gon nodded and suggested, "Wrap the Force around his presence, that should help ease more of his pain."

Anakin focused on where he could sense Obi-Wan and commanded the Force to gently blanket his padawan.

* * *

Obi-Wan felt something wrap around him gently. When he opened his eyes, he couldn't see what it was.

"Are you alright?" the female Phindian asked.

"Duenna," Obi-Wan said. "That's your name, right?"

Duenna's eyes widened in shock. "You remember?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan replied. "The others, are they okay?"

"Yes young one, they're fine," Duenna reassured. "They're trying to plan how to prove to my people that the Syndicat is trading our bacta away for their own profit."

"I see," Obi-Wan said. "It would be good for the people to see Baftu and the prince do the transaction, however, I don't think the prince will be in attendance for the exchange. If what I remember from my mission briefing for Gala, the prince is one of the candidates for the election. This close to the elections, he would be a fool to go off world."

Duenna looked Obi-Wan over carefully. "That gives me an idea. You have a similar build to the prince. Disguise yourself as him and do the exchange yourself."

"Do you think that will work?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I believe so," Duenna said. "All the same, we must inform the others."

* * *

Guerra sighed in relief when his mother informed them that Obi-Wan seemed to have recovered his memories after the wipe.

"Wait, what are you suggesting Mother?" Paxxi protested. "Disguise Obi-Wan as the prince?"

A Phindian whispered something into Kaadi's ear.

"What is it?" Guerra asked.

"Baftu's moved the bacta into his vault," Kaadi reported.

Guerra and Paxxi looked at each other.

"I invented something that you might be interested in," Paxxi said. "It's an anti-register device. It duplicates the requested prints contained within any security or registration system."

"We can use that to get into Baftu's vault and get at the supplies," Guerra said. "If Baftu meets Kenobi, disguised as the prince, and realizes that his supply is gone, he'll start panicking and making mistakes. We'll be able to make him look incompetent and the people will doubly be out for his blood."

"But the most crucial part of all this is to get Obi-Wan onto the prince's vessel." Anakin protested. "And to make him seem believable."

"If my mother thinks she can make Kenobi look like the prince, I trust her to," Guerra stated. "For her to even suggest that, means that she has a plan of her own."

"We'll have to trust her with Padawan Kenobi then," Qui-Gon said, looking meaningfully at Anakin.

"Fine," Anakin gritted out.

* * *

Duenna peaked outside the door and found no guards posted there. She helped Obi-Wan out of the memory-wipe machine. It took him a little bit to get his feet under him, so Duenna supported him as they carefully navigated the hallways.

"Wait, not that way, there are guards coming through there," Obi-Wan whispered, letting the Force guide him.

Duenna and Obi-Wan finally got to where Duenna wanted to go, a storage room filled with fancy clothing. Duenna started looking around at the options, holding some up against Obi-Wan to gauge how it'd look on him.

"It's one thing to make me look like the prince, but how are we going to get me on that ship?" Obi-Wan asked as Duenna looked over a pile of makeup.

"You're going to hijack the ship," Duenna replied.

Obi-Wan blinked. "But how? Surely they're going to come here directly. There wouldn't be any way for me to sneak on board before it lands."

"With the attack on the warehouse, Baftu moved the bacta to his vault, so they'll have to land here to pick it up," Duenna explained. "However, I've been monitoring all communication and none was sent out to change the coordinates. They'll probably send the message in the morning when Baftu actually remembers."

Obi-Wan nodded in understanding. "I see, in his panic, he forgot to tell his buyers about the move, and that's where I will be to take control of the ship. I'll wait for the new coordinates and show up for the exchange."

"Bingo." Duenna said with a smile. "Now, we've got to make you look like a Galacian prince."

* * *

Obi-Wan stealthily exited the building, stole a speeder and rode towards the coordinates that Duenna gave him. He tried not to scratch at the makeup that painted his skin blue to match the prince's. The sun was starting to peak on the horizon, there wasn't much time to do everything. He waited at the coordinates, hiding in the shadows. He watched as a ship set down in the open. He quietly snuck over to the ship, found the passenger door, cracked open the lock, and entered the ship. He approached the cockpit, brushing the dust from his fancy clothes, squared his shoulders, and preparing himself to confront the pilot.

_'Be the arrogant brat,'_ Obi-Wan reminded himself with Duenna's words.

He walked into the cockpit and demanded, "I trust that we're here?"

"What?" the pilot asked. They hesitated at reaching for their pistol when they saw him and Obi-Wan took advantage of that fact.

Obi-Wan pulled on the Force and laced it with his next words, " _Go to sleep._ "

The pilot slumped in their chair. Obi-Wan gently pulled them from the chair, tied them up and stuffed them in one of the unused passenger rooms. He returned to the cockpit and found the button to send a communication. He keyed in the frequency to Baftu and sent him a quick message.

> _I'm on the planet, where are you?_
> 
> _-Prince Beju_

Obi-Wan waited. He hoped everything would happen as planned. The console beeped with an incoming message. He opened it to see:

> _Apologies Your Majesty. We've had to relocate the bacta elsewhere. Attached are the coordinates for you._
> 
> _-Baftu_

Obi-Wan strapped himself into the pilot's chair and piloted the ship to the new set of coordinates. It turned out to be the roof of the Syndicat headquarters, as expected. He landed the ship and checked himself over in one of the rooms to make sure nothing was out of place. He went to the cargo bay and opened the bay doors.

_'Be the arrogant brat,'_ Obi-Wan reminded himself.

He strut down the ramp as if he owned all that was before him. A few Phindians met him, Terra included.

"I trust things are in order?" Obi-Wan sneered.

"But of course Prince Beju," Baftu said with a bow.

Obi-Wan saw Terra frown and whisper to Baftu, "That's not Prince Beju, that's the Jedi boy."

"Silence," Baftu hissed back.

"Have the bacta loaded immediately. I have to get back soon. I've got an election to win," Obi-Wan said in a bored tone.

"Ah, um, about that," Baftu stuttered. "There was an incident earlier; some of my rebellious people stole the bacta."

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes, "I was promised bacta, you told me you had it all well in hand. I even gave you a tidy deposit."

"Apologies Your Majesty," Baftu said. "Just give me some time. I'll find those dissenters and get the bacta back. If necessary, I'll canvass the people to see if they had any hidden away."

"I'm on a deadline Baftu," Obi-Wan growled. "I demand my deposit back for this failure."

"Of course, of course," Baftu said and pulled out his personal datapad and pressed a few buttons.

Baftu froze and turned to glare at Terra. "What have you done?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Terra stated.

"The treasury's empty," Baftu snarled. "You stole it all."

"I didn't do it," Terra protested.

"You're the only other person who has access to that account and I certainly didn't take it," Baftu accused. "Droids! Kill her."

Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow and commented, "A little harsh isn't it?"

"I don't tell you how to rule," Baftu said. "My people know that my word is law."

The assassination droids appeared on both sides of Baftu. Terra backed away and turned to run as the droids prepared to fire. Obi-Wan watched helplessly as Terra was gunned down by the droids. Both Baftu and Obi-Wan heard shouts rise up from the front of the headquarters. They walked over to the side and found a mob of Phindians rushing into the building.

"It seems that your hold over your people has failed," Obi-Wan commented.

The door that led back to the building burst open, spilling Phindians onto the roof. Leading the charge was Qui-Gon and Anakin with their lightsabers ignited.

"Jedi," Baftu spat out. He pointed at them and shouted to his guards and the droids, "Kill them, kill them all."

The Syndicat guards and the assassination droids fired upon the charging mob. Qui-Gon and Anakin managed to deflect most of the blaster shots back at the shooters, but they couldn't deflect them all and Phindians died because of it. The assassination droids were destroyed in this manner, but the guards managed to dodge enough to stay in the fight, barely. Obi-Wan noticed Paxxi throw something into the air to take the blaster shot that would've killed Kaadi.

"We should go," Baftu said, pulling Obi-Wan towards the ship.

"Oi!" Guerra shouted. "Where are you going Baftu? You're missing out on all the fun, leaving your people behind. You're not running like a kriffing coward are you?"

"None of your business!" Baftu shouted back. "I should've 'renewed' you as I 'renewed' your sister!"

Guerra gestured to Baftu while he spoke to the guards shooting at him, "Are you going to let this coward leave you here to die?"

Obi-Wan saw the guards falter and look at Baftu, considering.

"He killed my sister," Paxxi shouted. "What makes you think he won't have you killed either just because he felt like it?"

That did it. The Syndicat guards surrounded Baftu and grabbed him. Two approached Obi-Wan, but Anakin was there before they could reach him.

"You will not touch him," Anakin growled. "You okay Padawan?"

"I'm fine Master," Obi-Wan replied.

Baftu's eyes widened as he realized he was tricked. "You little brat!" Baftu shouted. "I should've know!"

"On behalf of the Phindian people," Guerra stated, standing before Baftu. "You are under arrest for crimes against the people."

The former-Syndicat guards roughly dragged Baftu through the mob that shouted in victory over his defeat. The rest of the Phindians followed after them.

Anakin whirled around to face Obi-Wan and gently patted him down. "You're okay right? Not hurt? How's your head? Nothing broken? Do you need anything?"

Obi-Wan squirmed and batted Anakin's hands away. "I'm fine Master. I'm not hurt. I've only got a little bit of a headache, but it's manageable. Nothing's broken. I can't wait to get out of these clothes and wash away all this makeup. I could eat something though. Was that everything Master?"

"Cheeky Padawan," Anakin grinned in relief, ruffling Obi-Wan's hair before pulling Obi-Wan into his embrace.

"Well done Padawan Kenobi," Qui-Gon said.

"Thank you Master," Obi-Wan said, fiddling with his sleeves. "I was afraid I wouldn't be a convincing prince and screw everything up."

"You did fine," Anakin praised. "Now let's go see if we can't scrounge up some food. I could eat too."

The three Jedi walked towards the door that led back inside.

"Oh!" Obi-Wan said, suddenly remembering something. "What should we do with the pilot I knocked out in the ship?"

"You locked them in a room?" Qui-Gon asked.

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Then we can deal with them later," Qui-Gon said. "Time to feed growing boys."

Anakin frowned and looked over at Qui-Gon to ask, " _Boys_? Are you including me in that remark?"

Qui-Gon smirked and walked inside. Anakin scowled at Qui-Gon's back and Obi-Wan snickered behind his hands. A shattered mess of electronics drew Obi-Wan's attention. It was the object that Paxxi threw to save Kaadi. Obi-Wan knelt to poke at it.

Anakin noticed what caught Obi-Wan's attention, "That's an anti-register that Paxxi invented. I can't say that I'm not relieved to see it's destruction. It would be a highly prized item on the black markets."

"Hopefully it'll stay that way," Obi-Wan commented.

"Only a small number knew about it and they were very hesitant in using it, so I don't think that will be a problem," Anakin said, leading them back inside.

Obi-Wan saw Duenna and rushed over to her. "I'm so sorry about Terra, I wish I could've done something to save her."

Duenna smiled sadly at Obi-Wan. "My daughter is finally free at last, and despite what you may think, I believe you did save her."

Obi-Wan frowned. "I don't understand."

"I managed to get to her as she breathed her last. Do you know what she said to me?" Duenna asked.

Obi-Wan shook his head.

"She said, 'Thank you Mother. I'm sorry.'" Duenna said. "She remembered me in the end. She regained herself. I have been by her side for years, and yet, after meeting you, she managed to regain herself."

"But she died," Obi-Wan protested.

Duenna placed a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder and reassured him, "It was better for me to have seen her return to herself for just a moment, than for me to watch her continue being a monster. Remember that life isn't fair and in the galaxy so big, you can't save everyone."

Obi-Wan pouted, "Doesn't mean I can't try."

Duenna laughed and patted Obi-Wan's cheek. Anakin grabbed Obi-Wan and slung him over his shoulder.

"Hey!" Obi-Wan protested. "Put me down, I can walk on my own!"

"If you'll excuse us, it's time for me to feed my Padawan. He also mentioned wanting to get out of these clothes," Anakin said. "If you wouldn't mind pointing me to where you left his clothes?"

Duenna smiled and gestured for Anakin to follow her. They retrieved Obi-Wan's clothing and Duenna led them to the residence she shared with the late-Terra.

"The fresher's that way," Duenna said, pointing to the proper door as she walked into the kitchen. "Will Master Qui-Gon Jinn be joining us?"

"I'm not sure," Anakin said. "I'll ask." Anakin pulled out his communicator, "Uh, Master Jinn?"

"Yes?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Where were you intending on getting food to feed us?" Anakin asked.

"Why?" Qui-Gon asked, sounding suspicious.

"Well," Anakin trailed off, eyeing Duenna in the kitchen. "I believe Duenna's invited us over for breakfast. Have anyone else roped you into anything yet?"

"No, I'll be there," Qui-Gon said. "Which residence is she in?"

Anakin gave Qui-Gon instructions on how to get there and informed Duenna that Qui-Gon would be joining them. Obi-Wan stepped into the room, freshly showered and dressed in his usual Jedi clothing. A knock sounded at the door. Anakin opened it to reveal Qui-Gon. Duenna set down plates on the dining table.

"Eat up," Duenna said warmly.

"Thank you for the food," Qui-Gon said.

"Yes, thank you," Anakin said.

"Thank you!" Obi-Wan echoed.

Duenna smiled and set down four more plates before sitting down. Qui-Gon, Anakin, and Obi-Wan blinked at the extra plates of food.

"Guerra, Paxxi, and Kaadi will be joining us once they're done," Duenna explained. "But no need to wait on their account. Eat up!"

Qui-Gon slowly and methodically ate his meal while Anakin ate quickly and Obi-Wan slowly enjoyed his meal. Duenna enjoyed watching such different eating habits from the three Jedi as she ate her own meal. Midway through their meal, a knock sounded at the door. Duenna got up to admit her sons and Kaadi.

"Oooo, a home cooked meal, haven't had that in a while," Paxxi said.

"Not so," Guerra teased and at Paxxi's dirty look he added, "I lie."

Kaadi rolled her eyes and sat at the table, "Boys."

"Well dear, you're about to sit with a few more 'boys'," Duenna teased affectionately.

"Mom!" Guerra and Paxxi protested.

Duenna smiled, "It's so good to have you home. It's been so long since I've had all my precious ones around me."

"Terra," Paxxi murmured.

"She's here in spirit," Duenna said calmly.

Guerra opened his mouth, but a look from Duenna made him close it.

"She died as herself, rather than Baftu's pawn and I am glad," Duenna insisted.

Paxxi nodded and started in on his plate. Kaadi squeezed Duenna's hand and started in on her plate. Guerra regarded the Jedi.

"So, what are we going to do with the prince's ship?" Guerra asked. "Are you going to take it back to Gala?"

"I've given it some thought," Qui-Gon said. "I think it'll be better for the pilot to return to the prince on his own with his own message of a failed transaction. That way, we'll seem unconnected to this, leaving us prepared to counter any other plots he may develop."

"Hmmm," Guerra hummed. "A sound plan."

"What's going to happen to Phindar now?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Well, the people are talking now of electing a governor," Guerra said.

"You should run for the position," Paxxi said.

"No, no, you should run for the position," Guerra said.

"How about before you two start arguing about who runs for governorship, you get the Jedi on their way?" Kaadi interrupted.

"Right," Paxxi said sheepishly. "That was the agreement. You did help us take down the Syndicat, so I'll get you Gala."

"Will there be trouble from Gala?" Duenna asked, concerned.

Qui-Gon shook his head, "We'll make sure that Prince Beju wouldn't do anything in retaliation when we get there. Once I speak with the pilot on the prince's ship, we can depart."

Paxxi nodded.

* * *

Qui-Gon walked away from the prince's ship.

"It's done then?" Paxxi asked.

"Yes," Qui-Gon said. "The pilot will be reporting to the prince that a planet-wide revolution occurred and that Baftu was ousted. The deal between them has fallen through. The pilot will be leaving after a quick refuel. I trust our transport does not need refueling?"

"We're good to go," Paxxi said. "Why the rush?"

"It'll look better for our cover if we get to Gala before the pilot does. I've disabled the ship's long range communicator, so the pilot would have to report to the prince in person."

"Damaged in the revolution?" Anakin asked.

"Correct," Qui-Gon said.

"Well, if everything's all set, let's go," Paxxi said, leading them to his ship.

Guerra was there to see them off. He cordially shook Qui-Gon and Anakin's hands before pulling Obi-Wan into a hug.

"Thank you for all that you've done. You've opened my eyes to the possibilities on Bandomeer, and you somehow managed to regain yourself from a memory-wipe," Guerra said, squeezing him tightly.

Obi-Wan shook his head, "You saved me from a beating and being tossed into the sea on Bandomeer. I'd say we're even."

Guerra smiled and squeezed him again. "I think I'll be keeping an eye out on your Jedi career."

Obi-Wan blushed, "I haven't done anything important that would warrant watching."

Guerra laughed and squeezed Obi-Wan one last time before letting go, "You're something special, I can tell. You'll be welcome on Phindar, so come back anytime."

"I don't know what the future will bring, but I hope our paths cross once again during a less chaotic time," Obi-Wan said.

"Well, the people have unanimously asked for the destruction of the memory-wipe machines, so there's that," Guerra informed him.

Obi-Wan smiled, "That does make me feel better."

Guerra ruffled Obi-Wan's hair, "Go on brat, before they leave without you."

Obi-Wan laughed and ran up the ramp to his master who was watching them like a hawk. Qui-Gon went to his room to read. Obi-Wan found a nice, soft, plush couch and collapsed onto it. He absently rubbed at his temples. Anakin knelt down by Obi-Wan and place a hand on Obi-Wan's head.

"Headache?" Anakin asked.

"Yeah," Obi-Wan said.

"Rest little one," Anakin said. "It'll take some time to get to Gala, so you go ahead and sleep. You deserve it."

Obi-Wan snuggled down into the couch and closed his eyes. Anakin removed his robe and place it over Obi-Wan, tucking him in. He sat down in front of the couch, leaning back against the couch, his head resting against Obi-Wan's side, closing his eyes. That was how Qui-Gon found them when he came looking for something to drink. Qui-Gon rolled his eyes and shook his head. He took off his cloak and draped it around Anakin before returning to his room with his drink.

 

To be continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why does lil'Obi hurt so pretty? I need to stop that.


	9. This is not the time period I'm looking for

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan decides to experiment a little. Too bad it goes a little...off track.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's take a break from the disaster that is Anakin and take a peek at how Obi-Wan's doing.
> 
> Sorry for the delay, I got distracted by a new expansion.

[Meanwhile, back in Year 13 after the Great ReSynchronization (Year 978 after the Ruusan Reformation) in an old, abandoned temple...]

Cody waited patiently as Obi-Wan meditated in front of the stone that Anakin had touched. He hadn't wanted to disturb his general, but there was news he had to report. His restless energy filtered through to Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan rose up from his meditation.

"What is it Cody?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Sir, there's something you should see," Cody reported.

"You found something?" Obi-Wan asked.

"At least, we think so sir," Cody replied. "It didn't look like any language that we could understand, but perhaps you could."

"Did you touch it?" Obi-Wan asked, concerned.

"No," Cody replied. "We were careful not to."

"Good, I don't want anyone else to get lost," Obi-Wan said, following Cody.

Cody led Obi-Wan to where a few clones were crowded around. Obi-Wan found that they were gathered around a book they had found. There were lettering on the cover that slightly resembled ancient Aurebesh. However, up at the top, proudly centered, was an image that Obi-Wan recognized from his time in the Jedi archives when he was younger.

"The Infinite Empire," Obi-Wan murmured to himself. "Or the Mandalorian Clan Ordo."

"Sir?" Cody inquired.

"That image at the top, have you seen it anywhere else in here?" Obi-Wan asked, even as he lifted the book using the Force.

"Several times sir," a clone offered.

"What is the Infinite Empire? I've never heard of them. Are they a threat to the Republic?" Cody asked.

"The Infinite Empire happened over thirty thousands of years ago," Obi-Wan informed him quietly. "The Rakata who created it enslaved all life in the known galaxy. It was even worse if you were force-sensitive as they used them to fuel their warships and technology. After thousands of years, the Rakata died out from some sort of plague and the Empire ended, freeing the rest of the galaxy from their slavery."

"So, you think that these artifacts are from that time?" Rex asked.

"I find it hard to believe that the book would survive thousands of years in here," Obi-Wan admitted. "Perhaps someone who admired them kept artifacts here, or someone found that symbol and took a liking to it without knowing its history was here. It's hard to know for sure. I know that a Mandalorian Clan, Ordo, used it for their banner for some odd reason."

Obi-Wan inspected the book, using the Force to open it to reveal the pages. The pages themselves were remarkably well preserved. There was no crumbling of pages as he turned the page. The ink look freshly placed. He could faintly sense with the Force a sort of infusing of the book with the Force. He recognized a few letters on the page to be ancient Aurebesh.

"Those aren't Mandalorian letters," Cody protested.

"So, that rules out the clan connection," Rex commented. "Which leaves either a member of the Infinite Empire, fanatics of the Infinite Empire, or just someone who liked the symbol."

"Which are you leaning towards sir?" Cody asked.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and replied, "I'm tempted to go with either the member or fanatic of the Infinite Empire."

"Why do you say that sir?" Rex asked.

"The language," Obi-Wan replied, pointing to the book. "I recognize ancient Aurebesh letters there. Since the Rakata's Infinite Empire spanned the known galaxy, their language spread with them. I believe they used a variant of ancient Aurebesh, or ancient Aurebesh was formed from their language."

"How can all these items be so preserved for thousands of years?" Rex asked. "It doesn't seem like they're that old."

"Hmmm," Obi-Wan hummed, stroking his beard. "Whoever was here must've been force-sensitive; I sensed an application of the Force on the book. Perhaps as a means of preservation."

"Can you do that sir?" Cody asked.

Obi-Wan frowned and replied, "No. In the long history of the Jedi Order, there have been conflicts recorded in our history. It's not unheard of for certain techniques or skill to be forgotten if they were never passed on to students."

"Probably doesn't need to have a conflict to make sure something gets forgotten," Rex commented.

"No, if the Council decided that it wasn't something to be learned, all they'll do is make a record of it and stop the practitioner from using it or passing it on to their students," Obi-Wan said, frowning.

"You don't agree with that, sir?" Cody asked.

"I can understand why the Council would censor some techniques," Obi-Wan said. "However, there would be nothing stopping others from realizing those techniques. And if we do not learn what those techniques do, it could possibly be used against us."

"A wise outlook sir," Rex said.

"Probably different than what you're used to with Anakin?" Obi-Wan teased.

"All the same sir, we'd like him back," Rex said.

"Let me study the book, I might be able to decipher it. If it tells me how the artifact works, I should be able to go retrieve him," Obi-Wan said, focusing on the book.

"Good luck sir, we'll keep an eye out for any others that we might find," Cody said.

Obi-Wan grunted and sat down to better study the pages. Cody and Rex took the other clones away to search more of the temple, leaving Obi-Wan alone with the book.

* * *

Several times, Cody or Rex would approach Obi-Wan and inform him of various books they found. Obi-Wan collected those books, using the Force to move them. Each book was preserved just like the first, seemingly with the use of the Force. Obi-Wan studied the books carefully, trying understand what was written. Cody and Rex organized the shift patrols and generally made it so that Obi-Wan was free to study the material without being bothered by anyone.

Days went by. Either Cody or Rex would make sure that Obi-Wan had something to eat, drink, or bully him into sleeping. They would occasionally make reports to the Jedi Council on his behalf to apprise them of the situation. The Jedi Council told them to continue what they were doing and wait for Obi-Wan to drag Anakin back. The only thing that was requested of them was to make sure the books weren't destroyed.

"Valuable it may be, these items," Yoda told them. "Secure them we must. Certain, I am, that Master Kenobi will know how to transport them safely."

"Yes sir," Cody and Rex said together.

* * *

"Okay, I think I've got it," Obi-Wan said wearily, rubbing his forehead. "But I wouldn't know for sure until I try it myself."

"I hope you're not planning on trying it out right now," Rex commented.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow in askance.

"You should probably rest before trying. Wouldn't want to collapse wherever you're going," Rex replied.

"Probably should eat something too," Cody added. "You haven't eaten in a while."

"I'm fine," Obi-Wan protested.

"Rex, make sure my general goes to take a shower and is ready for bed," Cody commanded. "I'll round up some food."

Obi-Wan sputtered, "Are you saying I smell?"

"It's been a few days since you started studying and refusing all but the barest necessities," Cody pointed out, sandwiching Obi-Wan between him and Rex. "Besides, we're just looking out for the people who had the joyous occasion of meeting General Skywalker. You keep telling me to try diplomacy, this is me starting to be diplomatic."

Obi-Wan sighed and allowed Cody and Rex escort him back to their base camp. Cody diverted to the mess hall and Rex pushed Obi-Wan towards the communal showers. Obi-Wan slowly shed his outer robes; it seemed that his body, detecting future rest, was trying to make him pass out right now. Rex huffed, amused, and helped Obi-Wan out of his clothes. Obi-Wan halted Rex's hands when it came to his underwear.

"Uh, I think I can handle things from here," Obi-Wan said, blushing.

Rex backed away and started stripping out of his armor and blacks.

"W-wha-what are you doing?" Obi-Wan squeaked.

"Respectfully, sir," Rex stated. "But I don't want to find you passed out in the showers. Cody will never let me live it down."

"Uh," Obi-Wan sputtered. "I could order you out if it would help."

Rex blushed and replied, "You look like you would fall asleep if given the chance. Don't want to risk you drowning in here, sir."

Obi-Wan sighed, shucked his underwear and meandered into the shower room with Rex following behind him. They chose two side-by-side shower heads and Obi-Wan relaxed into the cascading water. He took the offered soap and started washing himself. As he was rinsing off the soap, he felt his legs buckle. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your point of view, strong arms caught him.

"Are you alright sir?" Rex asked, determined to keep his emotions out of his voice.

"F-Fine," Obi-Wan sputtered out, flushing.

With Rex's support, Obi-Wan finished rinsing. As Obi-Wan turned off the water, Rex scooped him up into his arms.

"Rex?" Obi-Wan questioned, bright red.

"Don't want you to accidentally fall sir," Rex said, clearly blushing.

"You could've just supported me as I walked. I must be heavy," Obi-Wan protested.

"Sir, you have a tendency to ignore meals, trust me, you are not heavy," Rex said, holding Obi-Wan tighter, afraid that he would struggle out of his arms.

Obi-Wan sighed and stopped struggling. They found Cody waiting for them with a fresh change of sleep clothes and some food for Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan wanted the ground to swallow him up just so he could avoid the embarrassment. He _knew_ that Cody was smirking at them from behind his helmet.

"Enjoying the show?" Obi-Wan remarked. "Or are you going to help?"

Cody held up two towels. Rex set him down on the bench and Obi-Wan reached for one of the towels, only for Cody to hand one towel to Rex and start patting Obi-Wan dry with the other.

"You don't have to do that, I can do it myself," Obi-Wan said.

"Shut up and let us do our jobs," Cody said. "Sir."

"When did you get so sassy," Obi-Wan commented.

"Since he came under your command," Rex replied.

Obi-Wan blinked at that. Once he was dried, he dressed in the sleep clothes and ate the food Cody had provided. They escorted him to his assigned room and plopped him onto his bed.

"Make sure he sleeps," Cody said to Rex.

"I hate you," Rex shot back.

"Love you too vod," Cody smirked and left Obi-Wan and Rex alone, together.

"Uhhh," Obi-Wan said.

"You are sleeping on the bed, even if I have to sleep on top of you," Rex pointed out. "I've done it before, I'll keep doing it to ensure you sleep, sir."

Obi-Wan pouted and shuffled on the bed, making room for Rex.

* * *

Obi-Wan woke up curled up against Rex's side, his head on Rex's chest. He wiggled out of Rex's arms to stretch out his muscles.

"Feel better now?" Rex asked.

"Despite how we can't afford to keep Anakin waiting, yes, I do feel better," Obi-Wan replied. "I really should start making preparations to get him back."

"Yes sir," Rex replied, dressing himself as Obi-Wan changed out of his sleep clothes into his Jedi tunics.

"Can you get the Jedi Council on the line?" Obi-Wan requested as he entered the command center.

Yoda answered their call.

"Answers you now have, yes?" Yoda asked.

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan replied. "The item that Anakin touched allowed the user to travel to a specific point in time."

"Dangerous it is, to play with time," Yoda stated.

"I agree," Obi-Wan said, stroking his beard. "According to the books, changes to the past have the potential of changing the present. The author specifically notes that it's only a possibility of changing the present because sometimes, some things still happen despite all attempts to change them."

"Difficult it is, to control," Yoda commented. "But huge temptation, such items would be."

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan replied.

"Believe, you do, that you can retrieve Knight Skywalker?" Yoda asked.

Obi-Wan paused, considering, "Yes Master."

"Should we risk transporting these artifacts?" Rex asked. "If anyone caught wind of what these things could do, there will be a high demand to get them."

"Hmmm..." Yoda hummed to himself. "Agree, I do. Leave the artifacts you will. Hide them well, you must."

"The artifacts themselves are not noticeably apparent. I'm sure I could hide them well enough," Obi-Wan replied. "What of the books?"

"All they are, of the artifacts?" Yoda asked.

"No, a couple looked to be experimental Force techniques and history books," Obi-Wan replied. "We should bring at least one book back. I'm sure the archivists would be interested in figuring out how the books were preserved so well."

"Make sure, no mention there is, of the artifacts," Yoda said. "Forgotten, they must remain."

"Understood Master," Obi-Wan replied.

"May the Force be with you," Yoda said.

Obi-Wan bowed and the communication cut.

"Time travel," Rex muttered. "General Skywalker doesn't do small problems does he?"

"No, no he doesn't," Obi-Wan said, turning to leave. "Make sure no one enters the temple. I don't want anyone to accidentally travel through time after I've hidden the artifacts."

Cody frowns, "There's more than one time travel artifact?"

"Unfortunately," Obi-Wan replied. "During the creation process of the one that Anakin touched, there were several previous prototypes. Force, I can't even be sure that the one that Anakin touched was the finished product."

"Does any of the books say?" Rex asked.

Obi-Wan rubbed his head and said, "As far as I can find, Anakin's stone is the most complete one."

"Was there any mention of the creator's usage of the artifacts?" Cody asked.

Obi-Wan paused at the door, "They did."

Obi-Wan left the command center, grabbed a storage container and entered the temple, heading towards the stone that Anakin had touched. Clones that were stationed inside were recalled from their posts. Obi-Wan knelt before the stone and spread his senses outwards with the Force, checking to make sure there was no one besides him inside the temple. Amongst the rubble, he could faintly sense the different time artifacts, similar to the one in front of him, but each one slightly different. Any that were out in the open, he moved with the Force to somewhere more obscure. The books that the clones had collected for him, he moved them into different piles. The ones that pertain to the artifacts, he moved into random areas with the Force, away from the artifacts. Some of the more questionable books that he didn't feel comfortable taken to the Jedi archives, he scattered. The remaining books, he levitated into the storage container he brought with him, before levitating the entire container outside.

"Cody," Obi-Wan said into his communicator.

"Sir?"

"The container outside," Obi-Wan said. "Make sure it's secured."

"We have it, sir," Cody said.

"Very well," Obi-Wan said, taking a deep breath. "I'll try to return as soon as possible with Anakin. Stay safe."

"Understood sir," Cody said. "Good luck."

Obi-Wan broke the connection and focused on the stone. Taking in what he read, he touched the Force surrounding the stone. He wasn't talented in psychometry like Quinlan Vos, but he could faintly detect in the Force what Anakin was feeling when he touched the stone.

> _'...I need to find a way to prove to Master Obi-Wan that I deserved to be knighted...'_
> 
> _'...I'm a Jedi Knight now, I can't believe Master Obi-Wan still thinks that I'm going to screw up...'_
> 
> _'...I just wish, just once, I've got some dirt on Master Obi-Wan about his own screw-ups...'_

Obi-Wan let out a breath and thought, _'Oh Anakin, you don't have to prove anything to me. You do deserve your knighthood. Focus Kenobi, get to Anakin and tell that to him face to face.'_

Obi-Wan focused on the stone, he let the Force flow through him; his thoughts drifted to Anakin, about which time in his past that the stone would've sent him to that would show his former padawan that his master was a flawed man. There were so many events in his past that he was ashamed of, actions that he immediately regretted. He reached out with the Force, calling the stone to his hand, telling it to stay close. An image flashed in his mind, of _his_ former master, of Qui-Gon as his hand touched the stone. He gripped the stone as he felt a tight pull from his navel and everything went dark.

* * *

Obi-Wan was poked awake by a stick. He opened his eyes to see Yoda staring at him, leaning on his gimmerstick.

"Master Yoda?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Appeared suddenly, you did," Yoda stated.

Obi-Wan blinked and asked, "What year is it?"

"Year 946, after Ruusan Reformation, it is," Yoda replied. "Explain how you suddenly appeared, you will."

Obi-Wan frowned and considered the year as he quickly checked to make sure he had pulled the artifact with him. He would've been 3 years old, and Xanatos would Fall within the next year. He flinched when he was jabbed again.

"My apologies Master," Obi-Wan said. "All I can tell you is that I am from the future, please don't ask me any thing more. I have no intention of screwing up time."

"Accidental, it was?" Yoda questioned.

Obi-Wan bit his lip and replied, "On purpose. My former padawan touched something he wasn't supposed to and was transported through time. I am trying to find him and bring him home."

"Believe, you do, that he is here?" Yoda asked.

Obi-Wan reached out to the Force in askance, and it replied with a 'no'.

"No Master," Obi-Wan replied. "He isn't here."

Yoda nodded thoughtfully. "Arrange, I will, for your accommodations. What name, will I use?"

"Master Yoda, I really mustn't stay. The longer I do, the more likely my presence might change something," Obi-Wan protested.

"Weary you are, traveling through time, sense it, I do," Yoda stated. "Rest you need, before traveling again, you can."

Obi-Wan sighed and considered his options. "Ben Skywalker."

 

To be continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> vod - Mando'a for brother, sister, comrade


	10. Gala

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And we're back to the mess that is Anakin Skywalker.
> 
> I'm so sorry about the delay in this chapter. I got distracted by a shiny new expansion to one of my games, then I got distracted by shiny fanfics, then I got distracted by reading an awesome book written by an awesome fanfic author who writes incredible epics *eyes one of the people this fic is gifted to*. So many distractions, especially with the book begging to be read all over again, and again, and again. I don't know when I will be not distracted to bring you another chapter. Hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later. So enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll probably alternate between Anakin and Obi-Wan's trip through time until they meet up. *glances at list of events to come* Yeah, them meeting again won't be for a while. So, let's enjoy their journeys. *grins*

Anakin awoke to a rough kick to his foot. He sleepily opened his eyes to see Qui-Gon looking down at him and an unknown robe around his shoulders.

"Master Jinn?" Anakin asked sleepily.

"We should discuss the Gala mission," Qui-Gon whispered.

"Let me wake Obi-Wan," Anakin said, reaching for Obi-Wan's shoulder, but was stopped by Qui-Gon's hand.

"Let him sleep, you can fill him in later," Qui-Gon said quietly. "We should also probably discuss how to best train padawans."

Anakin just looked at him, "I think I'm doing a fine job training him. Besides, I thought you didn't want him trained."

Qui-Gon sighed and gestured for Anakin to follow him. Anakin got to his feet and stared down at the robe in his hand.

"You can cover him with it if you want. I can take it back later," Qui-Gon said, waiting.

Anakin laid the robe over his own robe that was already covering Obi-Wan. He tenderly brushed back Obi-Wan's hair before he rose to join Qui-Gon. They left the room and entered Qui-Gon's.

"So Mr-I-Don't-Want-A-Padawan, what's wrong with my teaching style?" Anakin said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Qui-Gon frowned, "You seem overly concerned for the boy. Don't you have any faith in his abilities as you claimed when you were pushing him onto me?"

Anakin rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I have my reasons for being concerned for his well-being." _'Not that I can tell him that I need to make sure Obi-Wan grows up to be my Master.'_

"Look," Qui-Gon said. "I can understand that you worry for him. He is your first padawan; I was the same with Feemor. However, you must trust that they would be capable of fulfilling the task at hand. You claim that Kenobi's capable of adapting to the situation and excelling, let him prove it with his own actions. Normally before a master-apprentice pair is sent out on missions, there is a period of getting to know how well they work together as a team. If they don't take the period, they are usually sent on simple missions to the same effect."

Anakin frowned, _'I do remember being stuck at the Coruscant Temple for a while, but I thought that was for me to catch up to the level of the other initiates. Could Master Obi-Wan taken that time to get us into working as a team?'_

"Let Kenobi show you what he's made of," Qui-Gon advised. "Trust in him."

Anakin sighed, "I will try."

Qui-Gon smirked, "Do or do not, there is no-"

"Oh don't you quote me Master Yoda," Anakin protested, rubbing the back of his neck. "Though, I admit that I could use your help in training Obi-Wan."

Qui-Gon snorted, "You've met my last padawan, what makes you think I'm qualified to raise another padawan to knighthood? But that's beside the point. We're here to discuss what we should do on Gala, not me teaching Kenobi."

"Fine, fine," Anakin said. "So what did you want to talk about for Gala?"

"We're in a bit of a bind, since we are aware of the actions of the prince. He's actually one of the candidates trying to get elected," Qui-Gon said, waving around his datapad. "It'll be more difficult for us to remain unbiased because of it."

"Couldn't the Council send another team?" Anakin asked.

Qui-Gon shook his head, "The Galacians already know we are coming. Besides, somehow, I doubt you'd let anyone else handle this. I trust you will not be attacking the prince?"

Anakin frowned at him, "I am a Jedi Knight, I'm not some feral creature that's a slave to their emotions."

Qui-Gon stared back at him and reminded him, "You confronting Xanatos on Bandomeer."

"I had every reason to do such a thing," Anakin scoffed. "He deserved it anyway."

"You let your emotions cloud your judgement," Qui-Gon criticized. "What would you have done if you had killed him?"

Anakin shrugged and replied, "It worked out in the end."

Qui-Gon rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. "How in the Force did you get knighted," he muttered.

Anakin scowled. "Are we going to talk about the mission, or are you going to lambast me about how undeserving of my knighthood I am?"

Qui-Gon sighed. "Right, right. As we are overseeing the elections, we need to make things as fair as possible. Knowing politicians, they would be garnering supports in various ways. We have to make sure those connections will not harm the Galacians. Paxxi told me that the Syndicat has disbanded on Phindar, so that means that the prince's connections to them is broken. We'll have to make sure he doesn't retaliate for the perceived abandonment. He's probably too focused on the elections anyway."

"Who are the candidates?" Anakin asked, looking at the datapad.

"Prince Beju, who is the son of Queen Veda and the late King Cana," Qui-Gon listed. "He's probably sour that his mother chose to have elections rather than pass the throne to him by birthright. Deca Brun is a Galacian entrepreneur with promises of reform and prosperity. Depending on who backs him, he has potential. With the last being Wila Prammi, who had served in the government of the late king. She has political experience, which would be beneficial, but it would also be dangerous too, if the people thought her as someone who cannot connect with the people she's suppose to represent."

"So, we're going to have to check to make sure everyone's playing above board. No secret meetings, no clandestine affairs, and no depriving the people of necessities to make themselves look good," Anakin summarized.

"Well," Qui-Gon said. "It's not so much as making sure secret meetings don't occur; as they will happen regardless, they're politicians after all. We're more concerned about backstabbing and assassination of the other candidates. Things like that happen in elections, especially the first ones."

"Gentler mission my ass," Anakin muttered.

"If everyone plays by the rules, the mission will be a simple one," Qui-Gon pointed out, in defense of Yoda's words.

" _If_ ," Anakin emphasized. "And how often do politicians _play by the rules_?"

Qui-Gon shrugged and replied, "Depends on the politician."

_< Master?>_ Obi-Wan sent.

_< I'm discussing the mission with Master Jinn, join us when you can,>_ Anakin replied. "Obi-Wan's awake."

Qui-Gon nodded. "We should probably discuss our roles when he gets here."

Obi-Wan appeared at the doorway with two large robes bundled in his arms. Qui-Gon beckoned him to sit with them. Obi-Wan sat next to Anakin, who took his robe back, so he set the other next to Qui-Gon.

"As I was telling Knight Skywalker," Qui-Gon began. "We need to decide on our roles."

"Roles Master?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes," Qui-Gon said. "With Knight Skywalker and my presence, the attention will be focused on us. It is unlikely that much attention will be placed on you. We are here to make sure that the elections go smoothly. We would be looking for saboteurs and anyone that might try to kill off the candidates."

Obi-Wan nodded and asked, "What about Prince Beju?"

"Unfortunately, he's one of the candidates for election," Qui-Gon said. "We'll just have to keep a closer eye on his dealings and make sure nothing is done to Phindar."

"I'll try to see if I can't get you permission to wander the city," Anakin said. "That way, you can talk to people without too much notice."

"They'll probably jump at the chance to talk to you," Qui-Gon pointed out. "You being a young, impressionable padawan; just take care that you don't fall for their lies. They may try to use you in an attempt to manipulate the elections."

"I understand Master," Obi-Wan said.

* * *

Qui-Gon and Anakin descended the ramp together. Obi-Wan followed behind them, having received multiple departing hugs from Paxxi after the landing. The queen was waiting at the end of the ramp with her advisors and what looked to be the election candidates.

"Queen Veda," Qui-Gon said with a bow, Anakin and Obi-Wan following suit.

"You must be Master Qui-Gon Jinn," Veda said with a smile.

"I am, your Majesty," Qui-Gon replied. "And with me is Knight Anakin Skywalker and his padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"On behalf of Gala, I welcome you," Veda stated. "I'm glad to have such fine Jedi here to help oversee the elections."

"It is our honor to serve," Qui-Gon said.

"This is my son, Beju," Veda introduced. "He opted to be one of the candidates of the election. With him are Deca Brun and Wila Prammi."

Qui-Gon, Anakin, and Obi-Wan bowed to each of the candidates as they were introduced.

"Come, you must be hungry," Veda said. "I have arranged a banquet to welcome you to Gala and for you to have the opportunity to speak with the election candidates themselves."

"Thank you, your Majesty," Qui-Gon said. "It would be an honor."

* * *

After the grand banquet, everyone moved towards a large ballroom to mingle. Obi-Wan looked around the ballroom with wide eyes, partially playing up his role as a young, innocent padawan, and partially pleased that the older Jedi thought he could be of help here. He noticed that his master's eyes had a tendency to follow him around the room as he spoke with the election candidates. He purposefully stayed within his sight to make things easier for his master. True to Qui-Gon's prediction, the election candidates and their entourage flocked around the older Jedi whereas a different type circled around Obi-Wan.

"I can't believe that the Jedi would send a child to help oversee our elections," Jono Dunn, an attendant to Queen Veda, commented to Obi-Wan.

"The Jedi believe that nothing teaches better than real life," Obi-Wan replied.

"So all your lessons are taught by your master?" a curious aristocrat asked. "Are there no lessons learnt away from his side?"

Obi-Wan bit his lip and replied in a shy, almost conspiratory way, "Well, we do have lessons inside the temple in a traditional classroom setting, but my master did tell me that I would be able to learn about a culture vastly different than what I'm used to while I'm here."

The group around him tittered, postured and preened amongst themselves, each of them trying to outdo each other for the honor of showing Obi-Wan around. However, Obi-Wan's keen eyes noticed the sly glances and subtle nods. He made mental notes of their identities and who they were usually an entourage with.

* * *

Anakin collapsed onto the lounger in the rooms he shared with Obi-Wan.

"So, my young padawan, how was your first tenure into polite society?" Anakin asked.

"Like I wished we were never here," Obi-Wan drawled out, only for him to abruptly slap a hand over his mouth.

Anakin laughed and reassured him, "Don't worry little one, when we're alone together, I don't mind hearing your true thoughts. We're master and apprentice; a team. It is good to know how each other thinks."

Obi-Wan removed his hand and tentatively asked, "I can say anything?"

Anakin hummed, "Well, within reason, of course. I won't tolerate you sassing me for sassing's sake. But I do expect honesty from you little one."

Obi-Wan pouted, "I won't be little forever you know."

Anakin smirked, "We'll see, little one."

Obi-Wan huffed and wandered around their rooms. A knock sounded at their door. Anakin grudgingly got up and opened it to find Qui-Gon on the other side.

"Master Jinn, would you like to come in?" Anakin asked, standing aside.

Qui-Gon strode in, "We should discuss what happened tonight and plan out our moves. Where's Kenobi?"

"Here Master," Obi-Wan replied, re-entering the main room.

"Your thoughts," Qui-Gon ordered.

"You were correct that there would be much interest in manipulating a young, impressionable padawan. By the end of the night, no less than twenty people were fighting for the honor of showing me around Galu first," Obi-Wan reported.

Qui-Gon nodded, "Well done. Anything else of note?"

"One of the junior assistants to Joram Belag, a newer member of the Council of Ministers, exchanged looks with a junior assistant to Lonnag Giba, the head of the Council of Ministers," Obi-Wan added. "Lady Nati Luur nodded at Lady Haur Rij in regards to something, I'm not sure what, but I something tells me, I probably don't want to know."

"It's probably best to not think about what women might be scheming about," Anakin commented with a grimace. "It's a dangerous road to travel."

Qui-Gon rolled his eyes and said, "And yet, wars have started and ended at the manipulations of women. It would behoove you to know what they are up to, even if it is an illicit affair."

Anakin wrinkled his nose at the thought, while Obi-Wan pouted.

"Another reason why I prefer missions that involve fighting, so much more straightforward. Less politics is always best. I hope we can avoid more of that stuff in the future," Anakin grumbled.

Qui-Gon frowned and pointed out, "Kenobi clearly has some talent with diplomacy, considering what he's discern from only a few hours of exposure. It would be a shame to let such talent go to waste simply because you prefer more action-oriented missions. Diplomatic Jedi are rare enough as it is."

Anakin opened his mouth, but then closed it without saying a word as he considered the repercussions. _'Fuck, Master Obi-Wan wouldn't be known as 'The Negotiator' if he doesn't become a diplomat. Or at the very least, have some training in it. Fuck, I hate politics. At least he's got some innate talent in it?'_

"Anything else?" Qui-Gon asked Obi-Wan.

"Just some minor nobles exchanging glances that seemed too pleased to have lost the fight to show me around," Obi-Wan replied.

Qui-Gon stroked his beard thoughtfully.

_'Huh, so that's where Master Obi-Wan got that from,'_ Anakin thought to himself absentmindedly.

"I am concerned that they would be pleased to not show you around. It's possible that they have something to hide," Qui-Gon hypothesized. "But perhaps my biggest concern lies with the actions of the assistants. We'll have to see if they're acting on their own, or if they're acting on behalf of the ministers. Be very careful when you're dealing with anyone from the Council."

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan replied.

Anakin frowned and asked, "Any chance that we can send Obi-Wan out to talk to the people? I kind of want to avoid any altercations between him and the politicians."

"I can bring the idea up to Queen Veda. However, by doing so, they'll likely make a big production of the whole thing and disrupt the election process. Something we're trying to avoid here," Qui-Gon pointed out. "But I don't see why we couldn't find things to have Obi-Wan get for us, thus, allowing him time away from the eyes of the politicians."

Anakin frowned heavily at that.

"I'll be fine Master," Obi-Wan reassured Anakin. "I don't mind being an errand-boy for this mission. It'll let me be sneaky around here as well. They'll probably not think twice about me roaming the halls if I'm on some errand for you."

Anakin sighed, "Very well, since I'm outnumbered in this. But the moment you get into trouble, you let me know through our bond. Am I clear?"

Obi-Wan smiled gratefully, "Yes Master."

Anakin gave a huff and ruffled Obi-Wan's hair affectionately. Qui-Gon squirmed a little, uncomfortable at the sight of their easy rapport.

"I think I'll head off to bed, big day tomorrow and all that," Qui-Gon said. "I'll show myself out."

Qui-Gon walked to the door as Obi-Wan and Anakin started to tussle in the main room like children. He smiled wanly at them, a part of him wondering how things would've gone if he had taken the boy as his apprentice.

* * *

For the next several weeks, the Jedi accompanied the election candidates as they toured around Galu and the cities surrounding Gala's capital city. At every occasion, either Qui-Gon or Anakin would send Obi-Wan off on some errand or another, allowing him time away from the delegations and to investigate any meetings that went on behind the scenes. Obi-Wan kept his eyes out for anyone that seemed out of place, or any one of the suspicious people of note from his first day. He also noticed that the queen wasn't looking too well.

_'Perhaps it's the stress of arranging for the first elections,'_ Obi-Wan considered. However, he sensed, from the Force, that such a thing wasn't the reason behind her failing health. _'Something else to look into I suppose.'_

Right now, however, he was following a lead regarding the candidate Deca Brun. There were rumors about backroom deals with an off-worlder that Obi-Wan felt he had to check out personally. Obi-Wan snuck into Deca's office in the capital, while Anakin and Qui-Gon made sure to keep everyone occupied, to see if he could find anything.

_'Contracts with Offworld Mining Corporation?'_ Obi-Wan thought. _'Isn't that the company to what Xanatos was representing on Bandomeer?'_

Obi-Wan took a closer look at those contracts.

_'Oh no,'_ Obi-Wan thought as he read on. _'These would indebted the population of Gala to Offworld Mining Corporation. They were financially supporting Galacian Mining Corporation to the point of near ownership; they're just a front for the Offworld Mining Corporation. So much of Offworld's money is being directed from Brun's corporation to other Galacian industries, it could mean an economic collapse if things aren't handled correctly.'_

Obi-Wan looked up another contract and gasped in horror.

_< Master!>_ Obi-Wan sent, distressed.

_< What is it?>_ Anakin asked.

_< Deca Brun's bad for Gala,>_ Obi-Wan informed him. _< He's got a contract here with Offworld Mining Corporation that enslaves this world as they strip mine it.>_

_< So, we need to arrest the bastard,>_ Anakin growled in his mind.

Obi-Wan felt Anakin's delight at taking action against one of the candidates.

_< But Master, he's got a lot of fiscal power in many of the Galacian industries. We should talk it over with Master Jinn, to make sure there wouldn't be any economic consequences,>_ Obi-Wan protested. _< As much as I want to see him arrested, we need to make sure what we're doing wouldn't negatively impact the Galacians. From what I've been reading, the Offworld contact that Brun has been talking to is Xanatos.>_

Obi-Wan felt Anakin stiffen at the name and added, _< It also looks like Xanatos contacted Brun and offered his support.>_

_< So?>_ Anakin asked, clearly not understanding.

Obi-Wan mentally sighed and explained, _< Xanatos initiated the contact. I sense someone else working behind the scenes. If we make our move now on Brun, we might not find the person who pointed Xanatos to Brun. Let's at least confer with Master Jinn.>_

Anakin sighed across the bond. _< Fine. He gets to walk around free, just like the brat of a prince.>_

Obi-Wan smiled at the grumpiness flowing from his master. _< It's only for now, Master. I have a feeling they will get what they deserve in the end.>_

_< Well, get a copy of those contracts and get out of there,>_ Anakin ordered. _< We'll try to keep them here a little longer.>_

_< Yes Master.>_ Obi-Wan replied.

Obi-Wan quickly found a way to make a copy of the contracts onto his datapad to take back with him before he slipped out of the office, narrowly missing a late-night worker heading home. Obi-Wan kept to the shadows as he navigated his way back. As he neared where the others were, he kept to the shadows less and less, making it seem like he was moving about with purpose and not being sneaky. Obi-Wan sidled up next to Anakin as he spoke with Wila Prammi.

Wila gave Obi-Wan a knowing look, "Sneaking into the kitchens for some extra dessert hmmm?"

Obi-Wan blushed and looked away bashfully. Anakin laughed and ruffled his hair, "Well, you know how growing boys are, like starving rathtars. Shame you couldn't sneak something for your poor Master."

Wila and her entourage laughed as Obi-Wan pouted. Their laughter drew the attention of Queen Veda. She and her entourage approached their group.

"It seems that something amusing has occurred," Veda said.

"Simply remarking on the voracious appetites of the young, your Majesty," Wila informed her queen with a smile and bow.

Veda smiled in her own remembrance.

At her side, Jono Dunn cleared his throat, "Your Majesty, you seem tired. Perhaps it's time for you to retire for the night?"

Veda sighed and nodded, "Very well, if you insist."

Jono bowed and said, "I shall go and prepare your nighttime tea."

Veda waved him off, clearly agitated.

Obi-Wan widened his eyes and curiously asked the queen, "You take a nightly tea?"

Veda smiled gently at Obi-Wan and replied, "It's a little something I take before bed, something soothing to help me sleep the day's worries away."

Obi-Wan looked at the queen in awe, "Do you think I might get the recipe? I suspect my Master might have need of it."

Anakin sputtered indignantly beside him as Veda laughed in delight.

"I'm afraid you'll have to ask Jono for the recipe. He's always been the one to prepare it," Veda replied.

"You must trust him a great deal, your Majesty," Anakin pointed out.

"But of course!" Veda replied. "I trust Jono with my life."

"I meant no disrespect your Majesty," Anakin backtracked. "I was merely curious."

Veda gave a tired sigh and said, "I apologize sir Jedi, perhaps I am a bit more weary than I thought. I'm sure Jono will have my tea prepared by now, so I shall depart."

"Pleasant dreams your Majesty," Obi-Wan piped up.

"Yes," Anakin agreed. "Pleasant dreams your Majesty."

Everyone bowed as the queen departed. Several young women sidled up next to Anakin. One of them boldly reached out to touch his robe.

"Well now, since her Majesty has departed for the night, perhaps you ought to send your apprentice to bed as well?" the young woman suggested slyly. "And then, perhaps, you might be interested in some more...stimulating conversation?"

The other women around her tittered in amusement. Anakin blinked at the woman in befuddlement.

"Shall I leave you to their company Master?" Obi-Wan asked innocently. "I'm sure I can find my way back to our rooms. Or should I consider bunking with Master Jinn tonight?"

"Uhhh..." Anakin could only stammer out.

Wila smiled, clearly amused by Anakin's awkwardness. Fortunately for Anakin, Qui-Gon decided to join them.

"I see that her Majesty has chosen to retire for the night. Perhaps we should as well," Qui-Gon suggested to Anakin. "We have a long day tomorrow and we should all be well rested."

Anakin latched onto that idea immediately, recognizing the offer of a way out of a situation that he wasn't quite sure he totally understood, "Y-Yes! Long day tomorrow. Plenty of rest is needed. It's been a pleasure speaking with all of you. Come along Padawan."

Anakin turned on his heel and practically fled the room. Obi-Wan bowed politely to the group and quickly followed his master. Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow at the group as they tittered once more in amusement, before bowing and leaving himself.

* * *

Anakin sent Obi-Wan off to get ready for bed while they waited for Qui-Gon to show up so they could discuss the day's events. They'd practically made it a routine by now.

_'I wonder what the royal court thinks about that,'_ Anakin mused.  _'I'm sure they've been watching us closely. Who knows, maybe they fought over the right to watch our rooms for something scandalous. Or maybe they're all watching each other as well as watching us. Hmmmm, I really hope the rooms aren't bugged. Things were so much easier when it was just fighting and keeping the men alive rather than all this dancing around in politics. I wonder how the men are doing. I hope nothing bad has happened while I'm stuck here. At least Master Obi-Wan is there to look after them, as long as they're not reassigned to someone else.'_

A knock on the door distracted Anakin from his thoughts. He checked on Obi-Wan and found the boy still in the fresher. Anakin walked to the door and opened it to find - instead of Qui-Gon as he was expecting - one of the palace servants with a tray of some tea and cakes.

"Umm...what's this pleasant surprise?" Anakin asked, gawking.

"Her Majesty has ordered some of her nighttime tea and something to nibble on to be brought up to sir Jedi and his apprentice," the servant replied.

Anakin frowned and asked, "You mean the tea that Jono makes for her Majesty?"

"Yes sir Jedi," the servant replied. "When he returned from serving her Majesty, he had ordered us to find these cakes while he prepared the tea, by order of the Queen. I believe he also wrote a note to your apprentice."

Anakin glanced back down onto the tray, indeed there was a note for Obi-Wan, along with the two cups of tea and a selection of cakes.

He took the tray from the servant and said, "Please give Jono our thanks for preparing the tea. I know it must have been an unusual request."

The servant bowed and left. Anakin placed the tray on the table just as Obi-Wan walked back into the main room and a knock resounded on the door once more.

Obi-Wan frowned at the tray and asked, "What's that Master?"

Anakin smirked, "I'll explain after you've gotten the door. I'm sure that's Master Jinn."

Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow, in perfect imitation of Master Obi-Wan's look of indignant disbelief that had Anakin's lips twitching as he attempted to hold his smile. Obi-Wan went to the door and let Qui-Gon in.

"You're later than usual Master Jinn," Anakin commented. "Did you have trouble making your way here?"

Qui-Gon rolled his eyes and replied, "I was merely waiting for the servant to depart. I was certainly hoping you weren't engaged in scandalous affairs in your rooms while your padawan was left out in the cold."

Anakin blushed, his thoughts instantly towards Padme, as Qui-Gon spoke the words 'engaged' and 'affair'. Obi-Wan just looked between the two, confused by the lighthearted words and playful emotive response, layered with a tense undertone.

"Master, you promised to tell me about the tray," Obi-Wan reminded, giving his poor master something else to focus on.

"Oh, right, I did," Anakin said, trying to shake off his mood. "Right, well, it seemed that the queen had been amused so much that she ordered Jono to give us a taste of her nighttime tea, along with a selection of cakes."

Qui-Gon looked over at Obi-Wan, impressed, "That must've been some conversation, to leave such a strong impact."

Obi-Wan shrugged, ducking his head shyly, "We were just discussing her nighttime routine."

Qui-Gon awkwardly patted the boy's shoulder and stated, "No information is wasted. I'm sure this information will be of use to us in the future, even if it doesn't look that way now."

Obi-Wan nodded. Anakin quickly looked over the tray to make sure there weren't any visible listening devices before handing Obi-Wan a cup of tea.

Qui-Gon noticed what Anakin did and said, "While the Galacians do enjoy political intrigue, listening in on their guests is not something done by them."

"Maybe, but it's better to be safe than sorry," Anakin replied. "Besides, if Xanatos is involved with this election, who knows what he might get them to do that they normally wouldn't."

Qui-Gon frowned in confusion and asked, "What does Xanatos have to do with anything?"

Obi-Wan perked up, handed over his findings, and answered, "I found several contracts tying Deca Brun to Offworld Corporation and the main contact is Xanatos."

Qui-Gon pressed his lips firmly together as he read through the contracts and stated, "We should get this election over with smoothly and leave immediately."

Anakin frowned and asked, "What? Why?"

Qui-Gon looked away and replied stonily, "I am his target for revenge and you know he will not care who gets hurt as he comes for me. Perhaps it would be better for me to leave the remainder of the mission to the two of you, on the pretense of being called away by the Council, so that the Galacian people will not come to harm."

Anakin instantly panicked, "No, please, don't leave me alone with those politicians."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Qui-Gon tried to reassure.

"I'm a terrible diplomat," Anakin protested. "Stick me on a battlefield and I'll be fine. This...this...dancing around with words is not my area of expertise. My master's definitely - he could talk rings around these people - but not me!"

"Well, you could simply consider what he would say before you open your mouth?" Qui-Gon suggested.

"No."

The two older men turned to look at the padawan they forgot was in the room with them.

"Master Jinn, I understand your concern for the well-being of the Galacian people, however, by leaving now, you would disrupt the dynamic we three have created. You clearly have the diplomatic experience Master and I lack, which is sorely needed on this mission. Xanatos is now a known threat that we can watch out for. However, we need to find out who else he was working  _with_. Deca Brun's name was given to Xanatos to make contact with  _by someone else_." Obi-Wan presented, laying down what he knew to be true, from his point of view, out to the older men. "If we only react to the obvious, it leaves us vulnerable to the hidden."

Qui-Gon smiled wanly at Obi-Wan, "Well said young Padawan."

Obi-Wan blushed and ducked his head down, focusing once more on his tea. Anakin felt pride surge through him.  _'You will be 'The Negotiator' one day, this just proves it. I just hope I don't screw this up too badly."_

"So, we should focus on flushing out who else Xanatos might be working with, at the very least, who told him to give support to Deca Brun," Qui-Gon stated, nodding in acknowledgement to Obi-Wan. "Any suggestions as to whom we should investigate first?"

"All the ministers?" Anakin suggested.

Qui-Gon nodded in agreement, "They would likely be the ones to benefit the most from the deal."

"We should also investigate the queen's health," Obi-Wan suggested.

"Is there a reason for that?" Anakin asked.

"I've noticed that she doesn't seem to be feeling well lately. She tires quicker as well," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"Perhaps it's just the stresses of seeing the election come to be," Qui-Gon proposed.

Obi-Wan shook his head, "I don't think so Masters, it doesn't seem right. It seems...too convenient."

Qui-Gon stroked his beard, considering the matter further. "She does seem paler than usual. Most _would_ attest that to stress and lack of sleep."

"However, she takes a nighttime tea that supposedly helps her sleep," Anakin protested, clearly thinking back on that conversation with the queen.

"Poison, do you think?" Obi-Wan asked.

Qui-Gon frowned, "There certainly is precedent for that, regardless of where in the galaxy you are. However, how would the poison be introduced? Not in the air, or more people would be ill and all her food and drink had to pass through the testers."

"Her nighttime tea?" Obi-Wan suggested tentatively. "We don't see her drink get tested then."

"Possible, but that would be difficult to prove," Qui-Gon refuted.

"She said so herself that Jono is the only one who knows the recipe for the tea, and the servants could probably confirm that he was the only one to brew the tea," Anakin added. "Which reminds me, you got a note from him Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan blinked at looked at the tray. He picked up the flimsiplast with his name written on it. He opened it up to reveal the message.

> _As I understand from her Majesty Queen Veda,_  
>  _you wished to learn the recipe for her majesty's_  
>  _nighttime tea for your master. Unfortunately,_  
>  _my duties make it difficult to find the time to_  
>  _instruct you on the brewing technique required_  
>  _to bring out the full potential of the tea. I hope_  
>  _a taste of the tea will suffice._
> 
> _Best regards,  
>  Jono Dunn,  
>  personal attendant to Queen Veda_

Obi-Wan looked up to find Qui-Gon and Anakin with expectant looks. He shook his head and informed them, "He will not teach me the tea's recipe. He claims to not have the time to teach me the techniques required to brew it."

"A pity, it would've been the perfect excuse for you to investigate Jono and to see whether or not the nighttime tea's poisoned," Qui-Gon said.

"But perhaps all is not lost," Anakin protested. "Obi-Wan could start pestering him for lessons." Anakin glanced down at the cup still in Obi-Wan's hands. "Say, the tea's not poisoned is it?"

Qui-Gon picked up the untouched cup of tea on the tray and took a small sip to assess it. "No, it's not poisoned."

Anakin sighed in relief, "Then perhaps the poison isn't from the tea."

"We're not even sure that she is poisoned," Qui-Gon pointed out. "She just seemed to display some symptoms for poisoning."

"I think she's being poisoned. It... _feels_...right," Obi-Wan insisted.

"No one will believe you based on a 'feeling'. You must find undeniable proof," Qui-Gon counseled. "Now finish your tea and cake, you deserve it."

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan said with a smile.

Anakin grabbed a piece of cake to enjoy as he watched the interaction between the two. He was quite pleased to see how well the older man warming up to Obi-Wan. He leaned back in his chair, relaxing, as he watched Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan discuss Galacian economics and how to best detect poison.

* * *

Over the next few days Obi-Wan divided his time between investigating the councilors and trying to convince Jono to at least let him watch him prepare the nighttime tea for the queen to learn the techniques necessary. Every night, Obi-Wan would follow Jono to the kitchens to try and convince him to let him watch, but every time he would be pushed out of the kitchens.

"You'll only get in my way," Jono insisted.

"I wouldn't," Obi-Wan insisted. "This is usually how a padawan learns. We're able to watch our masters work without getting in their way."

"Regardless, I do not have the time to explain each process to you as I brew the tea for her Majesty," Jono proclaimed. "I will not keep her waiting to satisfy Jedi curiosity."

Obi-Wan frowned as he watched Jono stalk back inside the kitchens. He was about to leave when he heard another voice talking with Jono. He leaned against the wall next to the kitchen door to keep out of sight while listening in.

"Having a spot of trouble?"

"Nothing I can't handle, I assure you," Jono replied haughtily.

"See to it that nothing jeopardizes my plans, or _your position_ may be in jeopardy," the voice commented snidely.

Obi-Wan backed away from the door, quickly hiding in a darkened nook, as he heard footsteps heading towards him. He watched as Lonnag Giba strode by him.

_< Master?>_ Obi-Wan tentatively sent.

_< Hmmm?>_ Anakin replied, somewhat distracted.

_< I think I need to investigate Lonnag Giba sooner rather than later.>_ Obi-Wan reported.

That got Anakin's attention. _< You found something?>_

_< I overheard him talking with Jono, pressuring him to make sure his plans are kept on track,>_ Obi-Wan reported.

_< Alright, I'll let Master Jinn know. Be careful,>_ Anakin insisted.

_< Yes Master,>_ Obi-Wan replied.

Obi-Wan peered out from the darkened nook and the saw the retreating back of Lonnag. He quickly looked around to make sure that no one else was around before slowly following the head of the Council of Ministers. He followed him all the way back to his offices and he waited close by until Lonnag left for the night. Just as he was about to head towards the door, a voice startled him.

"What are you doing here young Jedi?"

Obi-Wan whirled around to find Queen Veda peering at him from down the hall, alone. He cursed himself for not checking for any observers. "Your Majesty, it's a surprise to see you out and about so late. I thought you had retired for the night with your tea."

Veda nodded, pulling her robe closer around her to ward off a chill, "Yes, I was prepared for bed, and had drank my tea, however, an idea kept buzzing in my mind that I thought I should bring to Lonnag's attention immediately. I thought he might still be in his office yet, available for a chat. Imagine my surprise to see you wandering about."

"I wanted to see the architecture in this wing without disturbing anyone," Obi-Wan replied. "It's much quieter at night. It's lovely."

Veda's lips twitched in amusement. "Not fond of politics?"

Obi-Wan shrugged, "It's very complicated. It serves its purpose, but it's tiring all the same."

Veda chuckled, "I suspect that is a notion your master shares. He has a very good mask, but I can still detect his annoyance in his eyes."

Obi-Wan bit his lips. "Your Majesty, may I ask you a question?"

"You may, though I cannot guarantee that I will answer," Veda replied.

"When did you start tiring faster?" Obi-Wan asked.

Veda thought about the question for a moment, "A little before your arrival. Since then, I've steadily worsen. I fear it must be the stress of the election. Why do you ask?"

Obi-Wan worried his lip some more.

"Careful young one," Veda chastised, pulling his lip away from his teeth. "You'll hurt yourself if you continue doing that. You're just like my son when you do such a thing. Speak your mind. I wish to hear what worries you."

"I fear, your Majesty, that you may be poisoned," Obi-Wan carefully said.

"Poison?" Veda exclaimed. "I have not eaten or drank anything that hasn't been tested."

"And your nightly tea?" Obi-Wan offered.

"I trust Jono," Veda said, affronted. "He would not harm me."

"But what if he's forced to do something that he otherwise wouldn't do?" Obi-Wan countered.

"Who would dare?" Veda snapped, backing away. "Jono would've told me."

Obi-Wan watched as Veda's breath shortened, her cheeks flushed. "Your Majesty? Are you alright?"

"I...I...I can't breath," Veda rasped, collapsing to her knees.

"Help! Someone help me! The Queen needs a healer!" Obi-Wan shouted as he rushed to her side, supporting her upper body. _< Master! I need a healer for the queen.>_

_< On my way.>_ Anakin replied in a clipped tone.

"You need to slow your breathing," Obi-Wan coaxed. "Breath with me. In... Out..."

Veda tried to follow Obi-Wan's instructions, but struggled to do so. Rushed footsteps could be heard approaching.

"Help! Please! A healer! Someone get a healer!" Obi-Wan shouted as he held the queen tightly as her body convulsed.

Obi-Wan looked towards the approaching footsteps to find his master approaching with Prince Beju, an unknown man carrying a bag - who he hoped was a healer - and a handful of guards. His master helped him lay her on the floor so the unknown man looked her over.

"What happened? What is wrong with my mother?" Beju demanded to the unknown man.

"I will need to take a sample of her blood and hair for testing, but I from what I can see right before me, I believe her Majesty has been poisoned," the man reported.

"Poisoned?" Beju sputtered. "You expect me to accept such a farce? All of mother's food and drink has been tested. If any of it were poisoned, it would've been obvious." Beju rounded upon Obi-Wan and snarled at him, "You! What have you done to my mother?"

"I haven't done anything!" Obi-Wan protested. "We were just talking when she collapsed."

Beju approached and roughly grabbed Obi-Wan by the tunics to get into his face, "What was she even doing down here? She should've been in bed by now. 'Just talking'? Why do I find that suspicious?"

"Your Highness, you must calm yourself. These symptoms that her Majesty is displaying right now is that of a long-term poisoning. As I have stated, I will need to take a sample of her blood and hair for testing, but this is what I suspect. I highly doubt the boy is the culprit," the man stated calmly. "I do not detect any injection marks, plus a long-term poisoning would be very hard to detect in her testers."

Beju frowned at Obi-Wan before he harshly pushed him away, hissing, "I'll be watching you brat. Damn Jedi." Beju turned to the guards and ordered, "Bring my mother to her rooms. No one is to enter and she is not to leave it, for her own protection. Only Jono is allowed in to bring her meals."

The guards saluted and escorted the man carrying the queen back to her chambers, Beju following after them, leaving the master and apprentice alone. Anakin rose to his feet and approached Obi-Wan.

"Are you alright Padawan?" Anakin asked gently.

Obi-Wan blinked up at his master in confusion, and then he realized that he was shaking.

"Padawan?" Anakin asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I was afraid Master," Obi-Wan confessed. "I was afraid she was going to die right there in my arms."

Anakin wrapped him up in his arms and soothed him, "Hush now Padawan, that didn't happen. You called out for help. You did the right thing, you did the right thing."

"Where's Master Jinn?" Obi-Wan asked after he stopped shaking.

Anakin smirked, "We sort of left him there to hold court while the prince and I went looking for the royal healer. He's probably bored to tears, we probably should go rescue him."

Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow at his master, "And yet, I sense a 'but' to that statement."

Anakin grinned and ruffled his hair, "Buuuuut, I suspect you could use something to perk you up after all that's happened. Let's go to the kitchen first before we find Master Jinn."

Obi-Wan huffed and rolled his eyes at his master's antics, but he did not fight as his master dragged him to the kitchens for something sweet.

* * *

Obi-Wan sat on a bench in the palace gardens while his master and Qui-Gon were dealing with the election candidates and the ministers. They had agreed that with the queen's collapse, too many eyes would be on Obi-Wan for him to be able to investigate any further unseen. They had received word, mere hours after Veda's collapse that a large portion of the royal guard were dispatched by Lonnag against the hill people. Lonnag had claimed that the people were savages and were likely behind the queen's poisoning. Qui-Gon intended to go after them to convince them otherwise, leaving Anakin to keep everyone calm in Galu. Qui-Gon kindly suggested to Obi-Wan that he meditate in the palace gardens, so that he could find his center once more. As Obi-Wan walked to the gardens, he felt eyes following him, heard whispers start up after he walked by. Despite the healer's findings, many in the court thought that he was the one to poison their queen.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sword tossed at his feet. He looked up to find Beju looming over him with a sword at his own side. He could see royal guards stationed around the gardens.

"Pick it up," Beju ordered. "We'll settle this little Jedi."

"What are we settling?" Obi-Wan asked, making no move towards the blade.

"I know you've been sneaking about," Beju said. "The fact that you were alone with mother makes me highly suspicious. I have heard tales of Jedi bending the minds of the people to their whim."

Obi-Wan frowned and refuted, "That is not the Jedi way."

"So you _are_ capable of it!" Beju hissed, gleeful at manipulating Obi-Wan's words in front of witnesses.

"Clearly you are here, determined to accuse me of something I have not done," Obi-Wan said calmly, "placing blame upon me that you do not wish to keep."

Beju's eyes flashed in annoyance and he barked out, "Pick up the blade and we will settle this like men. I heard that Jedi were expert swordsmen, or is that a lie?"

Obi-Wan gritted his teeth, trying to not let his anger show, "Not all Jedi prefer to employ violence in the face of adversity. It may take a strong man to beat another with a blade, but it takes a stronger man to defeat their foes with words."

Beju snarled and drew his sword, swinging it towards Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan ducked, grabbed the sword at his feet and rolled out of the way of another strike. He quickly unsheathed the blade, glancing at the guards to make sure they aren't coming for him for drawing a weapon against their prince. They weren't. He quickly ducked another swipe and blocked a strike.

"Your Highness, please, is this really necessary?" Obi-Wan asked. "There must be another way."

Beju scoffed and kicked at Obi-Wan, "It is because of the Jedi. It has to be. You must've planted the idea of elections into her mind, stealing the throne away from me! I am the heir. Gala belongs to _me_!"

"The Jedi have done no such thing," Obi-Wan objected as he parried another strike. "Her Majesty contacted the Republic for aid to oversee the elections. The Jedi had nothing to do with her decision."

"Lies!" Beju roared, striking harder in his anger.

Obi-Wan tried to block, but he was pushed back and the tip of Beju's blade nicked his thigh.

Beju backed off with a smirk, "First blood goes to me. Some swordsman you are, little Jedi."

Obi-Wan scoffed, "Says the prince who chose to target a Jedi apprentice; too cowardly to fight someone who is fully trained."

Beju slashed at Obi-Wan with a snarl, but Obi-Wan was quick on his feet and dodged away. Obi-Wan kept out of his reach, waiting for Beju to tire of this duel.

"What do you hope to gain from this duel your Highness?" Obi-Wan asked as he ducked a swipe.

"Once I've ousted you troublesome Jedi, I will take the throne and rule Gala as it was intended by birthright," Beju snapped. "I'm sure your masters will hurry home if I've hurt you hard enough."

"But there is a more certain way to take the throne my Prince," a voice called out.

Both Beju and Obi-Wan turned towards the voice. At the edge of the garden was Viso, a blind man, but a proud supporter of Queen Veda.

"Explain yourself!" Beju demanded.

Viso bowed and approached them. "In times of doubt, we turn to the past, we would test for the Mark of the Crown."

Obi-Wan frowned, confused, "Mark of the Crown? What does that entail?"

"It's a test to determine if a person is the rightful heir to the throne," Viso informed them.

"Of course I'm the rightful heir to the throne! In fact, with my mother ill, the throne is mine!" Beju proclaimed.

"Indeed, while your mother is ill, and the investigation into her poisoning is taking place, you can indeed sit upon the throne. But in order to make it official, you would still have to undergo the test for the Mark of the Crown."

"Then lead the way to the test," Beju ordered, eager to have it be done with so he could be king.

Viso bowed, "Then please, follow me."

Viso led the way, Beju and Obi-Wan following closely behind him, and the royal guards bringing up the rear. Their trek gained the attention of some of the lesser nobles and before anyone knew it, the entire Council of Ministers were following them. Anakin forced his way to Obi-Wan's side.

"What's going on? Where are we going?" Anakin asked. "You're hurt!"

"It's just a scratch, nothing to worry about. Beju is going to be tested for the Mark of the Crown, to show everyone that he's the rightful heir to the throne. With his mother ill, he has a legitimate reason to take it," Obi-Wan informed his master.

Anakin hummed thoughtfully. Obi-Wan noticed that Lonnag seemed nervous.

_< Did something happen? Why does the head of the Council of Ministers look so nervous?>_ Obi-Wan asked through their bond, not wanting any eavesdroppers to listen in.

_< Don't know,>_ Anakin replied, glancing at Lonnag. _< Perhaps his hasty campaign against the hill people isn't going well. I hope Master Jinn reached them in time.>_

Obi-Wan hoped so as well. The procession stopped at a door, deep in the palace. Viso opened the door for everyone to see a single large square on the floor, surrounded by a silver pattern on blue mosaic tiles.

"Stand upon that square and if you bear the Mark of the Crown, you are indeed the rightful heir to the throne," Viso announced to all. "Prince Beju, please, enter the chamber."

Beju strode confidently into the room and stood on the center square. He turned to the crowd, confident that it will show them the Mark. However, after a long while, nothing happened, nothing changed.

"Well?" Beju demanded.

"You do not have the Mark of the Crown," Lonnag announced.

A murmur started up in the crowd gathered. They were all confused, if Beju wasn't the rightful heir, who was? Humiliated, Beju stepped off the square. Obi-Wan walked to Beju's side.

"What will you do now your Highness?" Obi-Wan asked softly, gently.

"I don't know," Beju admitted, just as quietly. "Everything was a lie. I don't know what to do anymore."

"Perhaps, the most honorable thing to do, would be to withdraw your candidacy for the election and urge your supports for another," Obi-Wan suggested. "Pick someone who would put your people's wellbeing first."

"The Jedi is trying to sway the mind of the Prince! Arrest him!" Deca Brun shouted.

"What?" Obi-Wan and Beju shouted at the same time as Deca's henchmen approached Obi-Wan.

Anakin ignited his lightsaber, standing between them and his padawan, halting their advance. "You will do no such thing."

Obi-Wan yelped as two large royal guards grabbed his arms and dragged him away from Beju. Another guard grabbed Obi-Wan's lightsaber and handed it to Lonnag.

"Stop! He was just giving me some advice. You will release him!" Beju ordered. "I am your prince! You will obey!"

"You may be our prince, but your are not the rightful heir to the throne," Lonnag stated. "With your mother ill and you failing to be the rightful heir, authority falls to the Council of Ministers. We certainly can't have the Jedi poisoning minds, now can we?"

"If anyone should be arrested, it should be you!" Beju snapped. "Don't think I don't know about your deals with an offworlder; don't think I don't know you started supporting Deca Brun instead of continuing to support _me_. Guards! Arrest Lonnag Giba!"

The royal guards looked at each other, clearly conflicted.

Lonnag smiled gentily, "The royal house is clearly in chaos and soon the hill people will be in the city, it would lead to a civil war. Surely now is not the time to cause more chaos by arresting me. I am merely a humble servant of the people."

"If you were a humble servant of the people, you wouldn't allow our people to be enslaved," a voice objected from behind the crowd.

The crowd parted to reveal Jono. On his arm was Veda, look far more healthy.

"Mother!" Beju cried out. "Are you alright?"

Veda smiled gratefully at Obi-Wan. "Fortunately for me, the timely discovery of the poison allowed for the antidote to be administered. I will make a full recovery, my son."

Beju sighed in relief.

"Forgive me, my Queen, but what does your attendant mean, when he said enslavement?" Lady Nati Luur asked.

At Veda's nod, Jono continued, "What I mean is that Lonnag Giba contacted Xanatos to give financial support to Deca Brun. In exchange, Brun promised to create a cover corporation named the Galacian Mining Corporation so that Offworld Mining Corporation could strip mine it. Not only that, but another contract would enslave the people of Gala to Offworld; practically half of Gala will be owned by Offworld."

"Clearly Deca Brun does not have the wellbeing of the people at heart," Veda announced. "Guards! Arrest him"

The royal guards arrested Deca, his henchmen backed away from Anakin, who relaxed his stance and put away his lightsaber. The crowd murmured amongst themselves at this revelation. First they discovered their prince was not the rightful heir, now they discover that another candidate plotted to enslave them.

"Has there been any progress on discovering who poisoned you, my Queen?" Lady Haur Rij asked.

Jono bowed his head, "I confess, I am the one to have poisoned her."

The crowd gasped.

"But why?" Lady Haur asked, shocked.

"The prince and Giba promised that I would keep my position within the palace if I made sure that she died in as seemingly natural way as possible," Jono confessed.

More murmurs from the crowd.

"Guards! Arrest Lonnag Giba for trying to remove me from power," Veda ordered. "I will deal with my son myself."

The royal guards approached Lonnag, intending on following their queen's orders. Desperate, Lonnag ignited Obi-Wan's lightsaber, forcing the guards to back away. Anakin reached for his lightsaber, intending to subdue the disgraced head minister.

"You should return that lightsaber to its rightful owner," a voice cut in. "Before you cut your own head off with it by accident."

The group looked over to the source of the voice to find Qui-Gon with an unknown woman by his side, surrounded by people with a darker shade of skin and eyes than the Galacians found in Galu. They must be the infamous hill people.

Anakin raised his hand and called Obi-Wan's lightsaber to his own, taking advantage of Lonnag's distraction, courtesy of Qui-Gon. The royal guards, seeing Lonnag disarmed, rushed in to arrest him. Veda approached Beju in the chamber.

Beju looked at his mother with sad eyes, "I'm so sorry, mother. I just-"

"You just wished to be king," Veda said, cutting him off, gently, touching his cheek.

"You knew," Beju stated. "Mother, why am I not the rightful heir?"

"If you're thinking that your mother was unfaithful, you'd best forget such nonsense immediately," Viso said firmly. "You are the son of our late King Cana. It is just unfortunate that he had married Tema of the hill people - much to his father's dismay - before his marriage to your mother. The fact that you do not carry the Mark of the Crown, shows that he managed to sire a child with Tema before his marriage to your mother."

"Then allow me to introduce everyone to Elan, daughter of the late King Cana and Tema of the hill people," Qui-Gon announced, gesturing to the woman at his side.

"Prove it," Lady Nati demanded. "We are already here at the testing chamber after all."

The woman, Elan, glanced at Qui-Gon uncertainly.

Qui-Gon smiled reassuringly, "It'll be alright."

"Enter the room and stand on the square," Viso intoned.

Elan took a deep breath, walked into the room and stood on the square. Immediately, a cascade of lights covered her body. It looked to all, as if she was outlined by the light. Beju closed his eyes at this further proof that he was not the rightful heir, that he had no true claim to the throne. A gentle touch to his arm caught Beju's attention. He opened his eyes to find Elan smiling gently at him.

"The Jedi have convinced me that as a Galacian, it is my right to cast my vote in the elections as well. My people and I will participate in voting, but once it's done, I will return to my mountains," Elan said, trying to reassure Beju that she was not there to take his place.

"You are welcome to stay," Veda said. "Your existence itself denotes that the hill people need not be outcasts any longer. You are the rightful heir to the throne."

Elan shook her head, "Rightful heir I may be, but I prefer the mountains of my home."

"You could run for the election yourself," Veda offered.

Elan shook her head once more, "I thank you for the consideration, however, the people are unused to having the hill people walk among them enough without having one try to be their leader. Besides, considering you've started the election for governor, it may seem hypocritical to have another option of royalty on the ballot. I will however, urge my supporters to vote for Wila Prammi instead."

Beju bit his lip and offered his hand, "You may choose to live in the mountains, but you need not be a stranger, sister."

Elan beamed at him and simply said, "Brother."

"And what will you do now, my son?" Veda asked.

Beju glanced over at Obi-Wan, who stood at his master's side, freed from the grasp of the royal guards. He took a deep breath and announced, "I humbly step out of the running for governor. I will speak before my supports and urge them to vote for Wila Prammi."

Elan slipped her hand into Beju's and gave it a slight squeeze in support. The crowd dispersed, all of them eager to spread what has happened to others. Jono quietly allowed himself to be arrested for his part in poisoning the queen. Elan pulled Beju over to the other hill people to introduce him to them with Veda following with an amused look on her face. Qui-Gon walked over to join Anakin and Obi-Wan.

"Well, that was an exciting afternoon," Anakin commented. "Everything seems to have cleaned itself up all nicely. A win for us, yay!"

Obi-Wan grinned at his master's antics while Qui-Gon rolled his eyes.

Anakin wrapped an arm around Obi-Wan's shoulders and said, waving around Obi-Wan's lightsaber, "Now Padawan, I'm going to tell you what my master told me when I built my first lightsaber. He said, 'Anakin, this weapon is your life.' So I'll tell you the same thing. This weapon is your life. Try not to lose it?" Anakin handed back Obi-Wan's lightsaber.

"Yes Master," Obi-Wan said. "I'll take good care of it Master. Thank you."

Anakin ruffled Obi-Wan's hair under the proud and amused eyes of one Qui-Gon Jinn.

* * *

It surprised almost no one to see Wila Prammi elected as governor with a strong majority vote. After the elections Elan and the rest of the hill people returned to their mountains, though they started building a better relationship with the citizens of Galu. Lonnag Giba and Deca Brun were imprisoned for their crimes against the people. Jono Dunn, for his years of faithful service and willingness to cooperate in the end, was sent back to his family to learn farming as punishment. As for Veda and Beju, with the elections completed and the world operating under a democracy more-or-less, Veda went on with her life with her son. Occasionally, they met up with Elan to get to know her and her people.

* * *

"Thank you, Jedi, for all that you've done for Gala," Wila said, shaking Qui-Gon's hand, with Veda and Beju at her side.

"It was our honor to serve," Qui-Gon said, bowing, with Anakin and Obi-Wan following suit.

"For your use, we give to you two of our starfighters, may they serve you well," Wila said.

Qui-Gon opened his mouth to try and refuse the gift, as Jedi make it a rule to not accept them.

"You have gone above and beyond what your mission required of you. Added to the fact that I am aware you are to head off to two different missions, these starfighters will get you where you need to go quickly. I simply insist that you take them for your use," Wila stated.

"Very well," Qui-Gon said. "We will make use of them, though, we will undoubtedly try to find a way to return them to you for your own use."

"You can try," Wila drawled out.

Veda approached Obi-Wan, who bowed to her. "Thank you for trying to warn me about my poisoning, for saving my life."

"It was my pleasure your Majesty," Obi-Wan replied.

"You're a good man," Beju said. "Maybe the Jedi aren't as bad as they say."

Obi-Wan smiled and told him, "I told you before that it takes a stronger man to fight battles with words, but the strongest man is one who recognizes that they were wrong and is willing to set things right. You're a good man your Highness."

Obi-Wan and Beju shook hands before the Jedi departed in their starfighters; Qui-Gon assigned to one mission, Anakin and Obi-Wan assigned to another.

 

To be continued...


End file.
